


Steam Engine

by ThatMarauderer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Marauders, Marauders era, blackinnon, jily
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 07:08:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 41,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11248824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatMarauderer/pseuds/ThatMarauderer
Summary: Sirius Black could be seen as a train wreck in the making in many ways than one. He smoked, he liked to drink and it was simply common knowledge he had a preference for promiscuity. Everyone knew it was the marauders who kept him on track. Little did he know that a single woman could indeed capture his heart. Her name was Marlene McKinnon and this... is their story.





	1. Rail Road

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Hiya, so if you're new to this story welcome. If not welcome back and I hope you enjoy the newly refined version. This story was initially published back in 2013 and was updated sporadically until the end of 2016. It had a following of 65 people, which may seem like a small number to some but was a great accomplishment to me, especially to have received 36 reviews and 18,000 views. I have grown as a writer since I first started this story so I became very unhappy reading it over later down the line. I edited it at the end of last year and still remained uphappy which is why I have recreated it now, which I hope doesn't irritate my loyal readers too much. I just feel like I didn't develop my characters too much and moved my story far too quickly along in too many short chapters. So here it is, a brand new WIP. Please leave your reviews… I do take the time to read them and I appreciate every single one of them.
> 
> Thank you all
> 
> Lauren x

The evening air was a cool sense of relief but humidity still lingered after another scorching summer day. Beads of sweat slid down the neck of a young Sirius Black, who was leaning against the alley wall of a very grimy, shifty looking pub. The wall was caked in a layer of pollen, dust, and dried dirt. There was a bitter smell of ammonia and vinegar that clung to it from where patrons had previously relieved themselves or emptied their stomach contents against it. But the stench did not seem to bother the boy leaning against it as smoke billowed out of his mouth ensnaring his senses. He watched with head tipped back as the smoke wisped and dissipated into the breeze. It both tasted and smelled foul and was a habit that would eventually end up killing him he knew, but quite frankly at this moment in time he didn't awfully care all that much. Right now it provided him a sense of freedom and release he was looking for from some of his frustrations. A decent shag could do him some good right now too, but in a place like this it was highly unlikely he'd find one worthy enough of his current appetite.

He closed his eyes and took another long drag on the cigarette between his fingers. He was the only human occupant in the alleyway as the sun was setting over the rooftops. With his eyes closed he could better pick up the sound of the pitter patter of rodent feet scurrying against the concrete underfoot. Do doubt rats scavenging the litter surrounding the pub's skip bin. Not that rats particularly bothered Sirius being a wizard. Especially since the animagus form of one of his closest friends was indeed that of a rat.

Suddenly a heavier set of footprints echoed against the walls, slapping the concrete as they made their way towards him. Human feet. He didn't even bother opening his eyes to acknowledge the intruder of his solace.

"Figured I'd find you here" A feminine voice pierced his reverie.

"McKinnon" He acknowledged with a click of his tongue. He opened his eyes and blew another cloud of smoke straight into her face as she stood before him, arms crossed over her chest.

If she was bothered by this invasion of her clean air space, she didn't make it obvious. She didn't even cough. Instead she just offered him a scowl her eyebrows nearly touching one another. Her long blonde hair was tied back away from her face in a messy high ponytail, frizzled from sun damage. She wore faded denim three-quarter shorts and a loose fitting white t-shirt which was starting to collect a V-shaped patch of sweat in the centre of her chest.

"You know we've known each other for years now Black. You'd think you'd learn to call me Marlene by now." She scoffed, scowl unwavering.

"Prongs calls Evans, Evans and he's known her for years. Why can't you be McKinnon?" He retaliated with a smirk. He ran his tongue over his capped lips before pressing the cigarette against them again.

"I'm not having this argument with you right now" She huffed this wasn't the battle she had come here to fight. "Speaking of James he's worried about you".

"Why should he be?" Sirius replied nonchalant.

"Well considering no one has heard from you in over a week, nearly a fortnight. You're lucky Mr Potter isn't letting Mrs Potter file a missing person's report with the ministry. Where the bloody hell have you been? Didn't you think about the consequences of your actions on the people who care about you? They're honestly worried sick over you." She was starting to lose her patience with the arrogant prick.

She surveyed his appearance properly for the first time. Other than the smoking he appeared in good health despite being scruffy looking. He was wearing a buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows and a pair of dark jeans, not exactly suitable clothing for the weather. They weren't sparking but they were clean to an extent. He was tanned, freckles had sprouted along his nose and up his arms, and his long locks of hair looked as good as ever.

"Here and there" He supplied. He flicked the ash that was building on his cigarette. Who did this bloody bird think she was? Sticking her nose in where it wasn't wanted.

"Sirius" She growled unfolding her arms, fists clenched.

"I gave you an answer didn't I?" He shook his head and rolled his eyes matter of factly.

"Sirius, you get a letter advising you of your Uncle's passing and all hell breaks loose. You storm out of the Potter's. Go off on a bender without even telling anyone where you are heading or how long you plan to be. Now would you just tell us where the hell you've been?"

"Me" He replied.

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"'Now would you just tell me where you've been?' There's no one else here Mckinnon. The word 'us' is plural, so unless you're up the duff and aren't telling me McKinnon you count as a you not us." He added sarcastically.

"Smart git. Now where have you been?" She offered him a smile at that.

"Around, I already told you that. I received a suitable amount of inheritance from my late uncle. I used it to purchase a motor bike. Not that that is any of your business what so ever" He threw his head in the direction of the skip where the shiny tail end of the bike in question could just be seen from behind it.

"A muggle motor bike…" The word practically fell out of her mouth. It was bad enough he smoked but now he'd added another hobby that was even more of a death trap to the list. She couldn't exactly say she was pleased.

"With a few wizarding enhancements of course." Sirius said smugly giving her a famous flirtatious wink.

"Such as?"

"It can fly" He replied simply.

"For Merlin's sake Black. No wonder you're running your friends and family mad with worry." She was exasperated.

"My family don't give two shits about me McKinnon. They proved that when they threw me out at the beginning of the summer" He growled.

"I was talking about the Potter's you numbskull. They took you in didn't they? Have cared for you, fed you, clothed you and all the rest of it. They love you Sirius. It's not always blood that makes family you know." Her tone was soft now, less aggravated.

"Yeah… I guess so. Sorry" The words were not apologetic.

"It's not me you should be saying sorry to Sirius. I know what you're like. It's them you should be apologising to. Go home. That means home not house. Your home is with the Potter's. Your house… If you even want to dare call it that… is the Black's. Got it?"

"Got it." He replied gruffly "How'd you find me anyway?" Dammit his smoke was dwindling now, wasted after getting too caught up in the conversation.

"You are nothing if not predictable Black. I simply looked around any cringe worthy looking bar I could find in the East London area." She laughed at how horrified he seemed at being called predictable.

"If I'm so predictable why didn't you find me sooner?" He asked blatantly.

"Because I thought you might have needed some space. But it's been long enough Sirius. Go home. Put them out of their misery. Whether you realise it or not: there are people in this world that do care about you Sirius. Go home to them." She said calmly as she walked away.

"That's it? No slap on the wrist and 'don't do it again' you're leaving just like that?"

"I can't control you Sirius. Getting angry at you isn't going to fix anything. But I can tell you to go home." And with that she turned the corner, disappeared from sight and into the oncoming night.

Sirius looked down at his cigarette which was now worth nothing. He tossed it to the ground and stubbed the already dying embers out with his toe. He coughed a few times, spat and walked to retrieve his bike scuffing his shoes as he went. Placing his helmet on his head and clipping the chin strap together he admitted, though only to himself, that Marlene was right. It was time for him to go home. He kicked the stand down, turning the key in the ignition the bike started to roar. His mind was virtually blank as he followed the highway and the rolling hills, he couldn't think of a single decent excuse he could lay down in front of the Potter's. why had he spontaneously left the Potter house hold, bought a motor bike and gone on a road rage around the country? He hadn't got a clue; it was just something he knew he needed to do. Quickly checking his rear view mirrors beforehand Sirius turned on the invisibility booster he'd had installed in the bike and pulled up to lift it into the air. Full darkness was now upon him; it would be quicker to the Potter's home if he flew. After an hour or so the house was finally in sight, he turned the booster off as he came in to land. The engine rumbled as it came to a steady, rolling stop outside the Potter household. Sirius noticed a flurry of the curtains in the sitting room before the front door burst open.

* * *

* * *

 

"Fleamont! He's here! Fetch James!" The shrill voice of Mrs Potter rang out as she opened the door. The frail old woman nearly broke her ankles coming down the fronts steps in such a rush to greet him. She took his face in both hands giving him a good looking over, even taking the precaution of moving his hair out of his face to get a better look. She came to the same conclusions Marlene had earlier that evening, he was scruffy but certainly unscathed. She didn't care that he smelt like a combination of smoke and exhaust fumes and that there was still a hint of alcohol of his breath, her adopted son was finally home safe and sound, just where he was meant to be. That was all she cared about because that was all that really mattered.

"Oh Sirius dear, where have you been?!" She said flustered. "You've had us sick with worry. No explanation. No note!"

"Sorry Mrs P" He replied as sincerely as he could muster.

"Oh well you're here now and you're safe. That's all that matters. Now come inside it's getting nippy out here" She said and ushered him into the house.

Sirius had barely stepped two feet in the door when he was almost barreled over by James. At was as if his best friend hadn't seen him in years, not just over a week. Sirius still didn't really understand what the big deal was, he was a big boy he knew how to take care of himself. He'd done it for as long as he could remember so why should now be any different at all? But at the same time his heart cracked just a little, he didn't remember feelings like this from his childhood. The Potter's was a loving and happy home, the exact opposite to The Black's back in 12 Grimmauld Place. No Godricks Hollow was the polar opposite.

"Padfoot!" James yelled as he slammed into his best friend.

"Hey Prongs" Sirius replied patting him on the back. He looked up to see the older male Potter staring down at him. Sirius thought for a moment that Mr Potter looked like he'd aged another twenty years in the short period of time he'd been away. The frown lines around Fleamont's head were more pronounced.

"Sirius my boy. Good to have you back lad." Mr Potter spoke before turning to address his still concerned looking wife "See I told you nothing to worry about my dear"

But it was clear by the old couple couple's weary faces that neither of them had slept for some days. The bags under their eyes were purple, deep and heavy. Sirius suddenly noticed other things too: Mrs Potter's nails were bitten to the nub, her hair thrown into a ragged bun not done as it usually was with neatness, poise and grace. Mr Potter's clothes were ruffled with a tomato sauce stain down the front of his shirt, something he would have usually noticed and taken care of. Sirius began to feel guilty about what he must have put them through. He swore silently to himself that he'd make sure he wasn't responsible for them looking like that again.

"A little birdie told me to come home." Sirius piped up hoping to diffuse the tension that was mounting in the hallway.

"Well I'm glad it did lad. Have you eaten?" The old man smiled, pulling his wife into the crook of his arm.

"No Sir" Sirius admitted realising he was in fact hungry. His stomach gave a growl of its own accord.

"To the kitchen with you then, have the elves prepare something. I'm off to bed, I need a lie down. There's plenty of time for talk in the morning. Welcome home Son." Mr Potter yawned.

"See you in the morning Sirius dear" Mrs Potter said kissing his head. "Don't stay up too late boys"

"Come on Pads you must be starved." James pulled his friend towards the kitchen.

Sirius allowed himself to be led there, even though he had made his own way to the Potter's kitchens many times. It was still how he pictured it to be, after all how much could change in the space of one week? It was neatly and orderly with a few elderly house elves pottering around aimlessly. James took a seat at the kitchen table gesturing for Sirius to do the same. This prompted the house elves to scatter about the kitchen preparing a meal for him.

"Dad was going to be calling the department of magical law enforcement in the morning if you hadn't turned up" James began, his tone tense but not angry. "The only reason they hadn't done so far was they weren't certain you actually gotten yourself into harm's way and the stack of reports is high enough for you not to be a priority to the department"

"Sorry" Sirius apologised. The elves came over to the table with cake.

"It's alright your here now. Want some? It's vanilla. Your favourite. You're lucky Remus was here when they started making it and said we should have had it as chocolate."

"That fiend!" Sirius laughed. James smiled and handed him a knife.

"You do the honours"

Sirius cut into the cake creating slices for both himself and James before offering it out to the house elves.

"So where were you?" James asked.

"Around" Sirius replied as he shovelled cake into his mouth.

"Cut the bull shit Pads." James was struggling to control the anger in his voice now. He was relieved his friend was home and well but now it was time for answers.

"What happened to there's plenty of time for talk in the morning?" Sirius huffed, swallowing the copious amount of cake he had forced into his mouth in one sitting.

"That's with my dad. You've got hours to come up with an excuse for him. Not with me Padfoot. I'm your best mate. In fact, no I'm not even that. I'm your brother. Maybe not by blood but I am. You can't just pull the 'my mummy and daddy didn't give me enough cuddles as a kid' routine with me. You said nothing Sirius! Nothing! Not to me, my parents, Remus, Peter, Alice or Marlene." James was shaking now, trying to keep the rage he had been feeling for days at bay. "I've been running myself ragged with worry. You missed the full moon. You even missed your Uncle's funeral for Merlin's sake!"

"Look mate I'm sorry okay?" Sirius apologized, while he was trying to sound sincerer than his initial apology it didn't come out that way.

"No Sirius. Not okay. Sorry just doesn't cut it this time. You know how worried I was? You have absolutely no idea. I was so worried about you going off somewhere and killing yourself I even called Evans. That's right called. As in I James Potter used a muggle telephone and I called her. She and Alice went all 'round Diagon Alley looking for you. She even went down bloody Knockturn Alley!" He hissed.

"I wasn't going to go and top myself... Wait a minute... Evans... Goody two shoes Evans went down Knockturn Alley?" Sirius almost laughed raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes! Looking for you! Don't you think that after all that you owe us an explanation?" James said. The anger in his voice depleted. His eyes turned to looks of disappointment.

"Yes. Look I really am sorry Prongs. I didn't think I'd worry anyone that much. I just needed some head space. To do something. Anything" He tried to explain what had provoked him, but when he didn't even know why himself it was difficult to put into words.

"Like buy a fucking motorbike?"

"Yeah like that" Sirius grinned.

"So where'd you go?" James asked with patience returned.

"Meh, around London, Blackpool, and Manchester" Sirius rattled of the place names that he could actually remember visiting.

"Alright fair enough. Look just in future leave a note for Merlin's sake. If you didn't turn up tonight I'm pretty sure mum was gonna have a heart attack." James sighed.

"Got it. And Prongs?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome"


	2. Hogwarts Express

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: Sirius Black goes missing for more than a week following the death of his uncle. He is found by Marlene McKinnon outside a pub in London and convinces him to go home under his own steam.

Sirius sat by himself in a compartment of the Hogwarts express. He had his legs spread out across the seats and stared blankly out the window. "No more expeditions for the rest of the holidays then? Kept it fairly tame?" Marlene asked announcing her presence to him. She stood in the doorway already dressed in her Hogwarts robes.

"Nope" He replied popping the 'p', his gaze remained fixed on the window pane, only seeing Marlene's frame reflected against the moving country side.

"Where are the others?" She continued, not allowing his sombre temper to discourage her from why she had come here in the first place.

"Pete's gone to find the food trolley since he missed breakfast. James is walking Remus to the prefect meeting." Sirius gruffed.

"Why?" She asked puzzled. She couldn't imagine why James would bother to walk Remus there when the prefect meeting was being held only a few carriages down.

"Evans is a prefect remember?" He replied as though the answer were obvious from the start, which it should have been if Marlene were honest with herself.

"Still hasn't given up on her yet then?" She smiled, knowing full well that Lily probably wouldn't appreciate the boy's intrusion already.

"Apparently not. Her not hanging up the telephone on him the moment she found out it was him seems to have given him a sense of false hope." He scoffed. "If you ask me it's because he used Remus's phone."

"You never know. She might actually give him a chance this year now that Snape is finally out of the picture for good. She seems to be awful lonesome without him. I mean I know she and Remus get along pretty well and sure she talks to Alice and me more now but it's still a big loss for her. This is Alice's last year and she's head girl so she won't have much free time on her hands. Then it'll just be me and her pretty much" Marlene confessed.

"Snivellus in the picture or not I highly doubt it. Evans is a red-head. That makes her fiery and passionate as fuck, but she's still too stubborn for her own good. That girl has her wand stuck so high up her..." Sirius didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence before she interrupted him.

"She'll lighten up. If he matures a little more this year. She's already noticing the difference from the attempts he made toward the end of last year after the incident by the lake." She told Sirius.

"If you say so." He rolled his eyes at her.

"You could help him out in that department you know" She laughed leaning against the door frame. How was it she was so dam jovial? Couldn't this bloody get the message he wasn't in the mood to be pestered right now? She should just shove off already.

"How so? Giving him sex advice on how to handle passionate and fiery red-heads?" He raised an eye brow finally turning his attention to her face.

"No. Being nicer to her for starters." She began.

"Fuck off" He barked back "Me being 'nice' to Evans isn't going to change fuck all"

"It might" She huffed arms folded. "You know Sirius for someone who seems to be so intent on the whole 'oh woe is me' thing you don't have a lot of sympathy for other people. Lily doesn't make an attempt to be friendly with you anymore because you won't do the same. You're lucky she even chooses to be civil with you. You don't know the first thing about her other than the fact she is...was...friends with Snape. You can't judge."

"Oh yeah and how is me being nice to her going to help James?" Sirius asked her sarcasm dripping on his words.

"Well maybe if she didn't feel so put out by his friends then she'd make an effort to be friends with him" She suggested as though this were simple, which it entirely was.

"Remus is cosy enough with her." He replied.

"Remus isn't only one person and don't you even start on Peter because he and I had words at the beginning of the summer and he barely speaks a word to her in the first place. All I'm saying is play nice this year Sirius." She said and walked away. Sliding shut the compartment door behind her. Mission accomplished he thought, she'd finally gone and bugger off, about bloody time. Little did he know that she had said what she had been there to say and that was the end of that.

"Women" Sirius tutted to himself turning his attention back to the window. They're never satisfied by anyone or anything. What does Evans matter to me anyway?

"Hey Padfoot" James called re-entering the compartment.

"How'd it go with Evans?" He asked noticing the broad smile on his friends face in the reflection of the window pane. That was new. He didn't even look like he'd been hexed or jinxed. Hell Evan's hadn't even given him a black eye the old fashioned muggle way.

"Alright actually, I didn't ask her out once! No threats, hexes or anything. Just plain civil conversation" He grinned.

"That's it?" Sirius replied finally taking his focus off the window.

"What do you mean that's it? This is progress Pads! If I came just keep it up this year, less pranking, no picking on Snivellus I might be in for a chance!" He said excitedly.

"Less pranking?! But we're the marauders! It's what we're known for!" Sirius grumbled.

"I'm not saying we can't Pads. We just have to tone it down a bit."

"All this for a bloody bird" Sirius complained.

"She's not just a bird to me Sirius" He replied slightly dis-heartened.

"Come on Prongs this is Evans we're talking about. Oh no sorry I forgot you don't know who we're talking about unless we call you 'toe-rag' or 'useless prick' or 'bullying toad' or..."

"Alright! I get it already Sirius" James growled. "I get it she isn't the nicest sometimes but fuck we bring it on ourselves sometimes! We're sixth years this year for crying out loud. It's time to start taking some more responsibility. We're in the middle of a war and we are about to become a big part of it after we graduate. I don't want to go into that with me and Evans being anything other than at least friends. So sorry for wanting something so bad I'm willing to put the effort into it. I thought you'd be happy for me being my best mate"

"I never said I wasn't!" Sirius yelled back.

"Well you've got a funny way of showing it!" James bellowed back.

"Hey guys found the trolley who wants chocolate frogs?" Peter asked coming into the compartment. "Oh sorry..." He said realising he'd walked into an argument.

"Its fine Pete, the topic's been dropped. But no thanks" James smiled at his friend.

"I never said it was dropped" Sirius started.

"But I did. I don't want to argue Pads. The topic is dropped as far as I'm concerned so leave it. I'm going to try get on good terms with Evans. I'm going to start pranking less and take more responsibility. I'm quidditch captain this year and that's huge for me. Whether you like it or not I'm doing this for myself Padfoot so grow up already"

* * *

* * *

 

For a change Sirius sulked and sat quietly through the entire sorting ceremony. He didn't even react when a girl by the name of Ashley Dick got sorted into Hufflepuff. No sexual innuendo joke, not so much a scoff or a scaving remark. This for him was extremely unusual and it was safe to say that his strange demeanour did not go unnoticed by the people around him. "Are you ill?" Lily Evans asked as the feast began, the great hall was filled with the excited chatter of students catching up after a summer apart.

"What?" Sirius replied gruffly.

"I said are you ill Black?" She sighed "You haven't spoken a word. That's not like you. Not even a whistle" She commented.

"Sorry, didn't realise my world revolved around you. You don't know me Evans. So don't attempt to pretend you do"

"I was just trying to be nice Sirius. You were awfully quiet which is completely out of character for you so I presumed something was wrong. Sorry for caring" She replied defensively.

"Save it for Prongs, Evans. At least he gives a shit." Sirius snarled, his upper lip curling.

Lily opened her mouth as if to retaliate but surprisingly very unlike the Lily he knew she closed it swiftly and returned to the food on her plate. Not even giving Sirius the satisfaction of a second glance. Sirius received a sharp kick in the shins beneath the table. He winced and looked for the person responsible. Marlene was sending him death glares across the turkey. The other marauders were shaking their heads at him, James looking ropable.

"What?" He mouthed.

"That wasn't very nice Padfoot." Remus said next to him.

"Merlin's sake what is this? Everyone against Sirius day today?"

Remus frowned "No one is against you Sirius. Except perhaps the Slytherin's but after all they're against all of us. I was just saying that wasn't a very nice way to talk to Lily. It's not her fault you're in a crabby mood" He told his friend.

"I'm not in a crabby mood!" Sirius huffed.

"You have a funny way of showing it." He replied eye brows raised. "If anything count yourself lucky she even cared. She had a loss in the family over the holidays." He whispered leaning in so Lily would not over hear him discussing her personal matters.

"And that's my problem how?" Sirius asked him.

"I never said it was. You are in a shirty mood" He replied stonily, playing with his peas.

Sirius made an effort not to talk to anyone for the rest of the feast. Which was easy as no one made much of an effort to talk to him either with the mood that he was in. Not even Peter who would usually jump at the prospects of being included in a conversation. It wasn't until they were vacating the great hall for the dormitories that anyone addressed him at all. "You, me, third floor, broom cupboard. You know the place. Be there in an hour" Marlene hissed in his ear. She then proceeded to storm off out of the great hall on the heels of Alice and Lily. Sirius shrugged his shoulders and left with the other marauders. That bloody bird was mad as a hatter these days. He'd have to go see what she wanted though or he'd never hear the end of it. When they arrive back at Gryffindor tower his trunk was at the foot of his bed in the dorm, same as every other year. Sirius changed out of his school robes and into some more casual muggle-type wear.

"Prongs? Can I borrow the cloak?" He asked his friend who was quite happily sat on his own bed with a quidditch magazine.

"Back for a couple of hours and you've already got a skirt" Peter laughed.

"Now that explains your foul mood at dinner. Sexual frustration and hormones is it Pads?" Remus chuckled and Sirius threw a pillow at him.

"Alright, you can borrow the cloak... on one condition..." James added

"Which is?" Sirius sighed.

"You have to be civil with Evans. For a whole week" He replied smugly.

"A week?!" Sirius objected.

"Do you want the cloak or not?" He asked.

"Fine I'll be civil with Evans." Sirius hissed impatiently.

"Top of my trunk" James replied happily. "That means you have to call her Lily not Evans"

"You call her Evans!" He whined.

"Yeah but if I call her Lily she thinks I'm flirting, you however it's being polite."

"Fine! Fine! I'm off!" He grumbled.

Sirius arrived outside the broom cupboard Marlene had suggested with ten minutes to spare. He then realised that Marlene wouldn't be able to see him when she approached and pulled the cloak off and over his head. Only to find himself being pulled into the cupboard roughly by the scruff of his collar as soon as he did so. He tripped haphazardly over a mop bucket. "Bloody hell!" He yelped as the door slammed shut behind him.

"SHHHHH! Do you want to be caught!?" Marlene asked.

"No... But I don't appreciate being pulled into cupboards by witches unless I'm about to snog or shag them" He replied begrudgingly, rubbing at his neck where the collar had caught against his skin.

"Who says you're not?" She asked smartly. It was too dark within the shadow of the cupboard for Sirius to get a good read of the look on her face.

"Am I?" He asked quizzically. Maybe the bird wasn't as mad as he thought after all.

"We'll see. Talking first. Then we can make arrangements." She supplied "Now. First off I thought I told you to play nice and help James out? Two stop being a git when people try and be nice to you. Three Lily's mum passed away so show some sympathy. Any questions?"

"Blunt much?" He huffed.

"Well blunt seems the only way to get through to you. Unless you have something to gain. Thus my proposal" She bit back harshly at him, vainly attempting to keep her cool.

"Proposal?" His eyebrows raised questioningly. Now his interest was certainly intrigued.

"You be nice to Lily and I mean nice! Then we can snog, touch and whatever to your heart's content. If you can be nice enough to her to convince her to actually give James a chance at dating... I'll shag you" She stated bluntly.

"And what do you get out of this?" Sirius asked.

"Satisfaction with the fact that two of my friends are blissfully happy with one another. Now do we have a deal?"

"I suppose" Sirius replied.

"You suppose?"

"How do I know you'll keep your word?" He pushed. That was the question that Marlene had been waiting for. "I never break my word Sirius Black" She replied aggressively.

Then as unexpectedly as she'd dragged him into the cupboard she assaulted his lips with her own. Sirius was shocked but not enough to not have the sense to not kiss her back. She slammed him against the wall of the cupboard. Hard. Sirius was in heaven, no girl had even taken control over him like this while snogging and he liked it. It was tense, passionate, everything he could want... and she pulled away. "That's the deal sealed. This arrangement is between you and me only in the strictest of confidence. One word to anyone one and this arrangement is terminated. Understood?" Sirius could only nod dumbly. "Good. Good night, see you tomorrow" She finished. Leaving him alone and breathing heavily.

What in the name of Merlin's pants?! Never before had a girl left him being the one wanting more. Feeling unsatisfied. This was a weird feeling and worst of all it was because of Marlene McKinnon. A girl he'd only ever seen as a friend since first year. One of the ones that was strictly off limits. It was a bad idea to have relations with someone from your own house the way he did with other girls around Hogwarts. When shit went the wrong way it wasn't like he was going to get accosted in his own common room if the girls he messed with were from other houses. Sirius had a feeling that this...arrangement with Marlene however, was going to work well in his favour. This was being done on her own terms so she couldn't turn around and complain afterward. He could play nice right? Sirius was welcomed back into Gryffindor tower a faint sobbing after his meeting with Marlene. Coming through the portrait hole he saw that the sound was coming from the lone person in the common room. Lily was curled up in one of the chairs by the fire, a tissue pressed to her lips muffling her crying. He groaned he hadn't expected to come face to face with her just yet. Play nice he repeated to himself.

"Alright there Evans?" He asked running his hands through his hair uncomfortably as he approached her. It was hardly like he could avoid her; he'd be walking directly into her line of sight on the way to the boy's staircase.

"Fine thanks Black" She sniffed regaining her composure realising she was no longer alone, wiping the final tears away from her stained face. "Why out so late?"

"I had a skirt to attend to" He replied bluntly.

"Ah I see. Good for you" She told him, her voice still wavered.

"That's it?" He said.

"What's it Black?" Lily sighed, clearly just wanting to escape the situation.

"'Good for you' that's all you have to say? Not 'You were out past curfew Black! Where do you think you've been Black? You're lucky I don't give you a detention Black'" He mimicked all her usual prefect style come backs.

"I'm going to bed Sirius. I suggest you try get some sleep yourself. Good night" She said quietly standing to go to bed. That was really not like the usual Lily Evans behaviour.

"Look I'm sorry about dinner okay? I was being a cock. I'm sorry about your mum too." He admitted. She turned and looked back at him surprised by his outburst. "Its fine, thanks Sirius. Good Night." She replied continuing up to her dormitory. See this whole being nice thing wasn't so hard. He'd have her and Prongs shacked up by the end of the year.

* * *

* * *

 

"You were in late last night Sirius" Remus smirked over breakfast.

"Hey a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" He replied back with a grin.

"What man? Where?" James mocked. Sirius whacked him over the back of the head with the daily prophet. "I was just kidding!" He laughed.

"I suggest you mind your manners Prongs or I won't keep up being nice to Evans." Sirius wiggled his finger suggestively at his friend suggestively. Unrolling the prophet, he took one look at the leading headline and tossed it to one side again. Missing Aurors Found Dead.

"So you're actually going to try be nice?" Peter mumbled through a mouthful of eggs.

"Swallow first" Remus scolded turning his nose up at both Peter and the prophet.

"That's what he said" Marlene's voice joined the conversation as she slipped into place beside Sirius.

"Marls that's disgusting" Lily added sitting beside her. Marlene shrugged her shoulders and piled bacon and various other breakfast foods onto her plate.

"Sleep well girls?" James asked, though it was obvious he was directing his question at Lily.

"Fine thanks James" She responded with a smile. Peter started to choke on what was left in his mouth and Sirius took the opportunity to imitate a heart attack. This was too golden an opportunity to miss. "Oh no, she said James... It's the end of the world...air...I need air... Oh light glorious light I'm going" Sirius projected. Which Lily responded to by laughing and throwing her toast at him.

"So maybe Potter wasn't the only one who had to grow up a bit over the summer. I was wrong I admit it." Once again the group looked in a state of shock, Lily Evans admitting to partial blame? It was unheard of.

"I suddenly feel quite faint" Sirius continued his act throwing his arm over his face dramatically. He stopped however when he noticed Marlene subtly running her hand over his thigh under the table.

"So what do you all have first?" Lily asked choosing to ignore the theatrics. The rest of the marauders began to spout out their day's timetable but Marlene had Sirius's full and undivided attention.

Friday she traced over his leg with her fingers. Tapestry. 5th floor. 8pm. Then as if nothing had happened she moved her hand and jumped into the group conversation. Sirius could still feel the heat on his leg where her hand had been and although he wouldn't admit it; even to himself. He liked it.

* * *

* * *

 

"See there are rewards for being a gentleman" Marlene hissed in his ear.

Sirius barely heard her over his own laboured breathing. They'd been snogging frantically behind the tapestry for close to an hour, but he just couldn't get enough of her lips on his own. No matter how breath taking it was. Marlene moved her mouth to his neck and began to suck softly, forcing him harder into the wall. He groaned.

"So long as she keeps playing nice I will" He growled from deep in his throat. Marlene pulled away, readjusting her wrinkled clothes. "Same time next week? If you behave. But it'll have to be a different location."

"I quite like this one" He said, trying to pull her in for another kiss but she pushed him away roughly.

"We can't use the same place in a short space of time. It risks being caught. Give it a few weeks then we can come back here. You pick the next location."

He tried to pull her in again as she tried to leave. He wasn't used to this. Usually the girl would be begging him to stay. 'Five more minutes Sirius baby?' they would coo. But by then he'd usually had his fill. He didn't like to get attached. Those kind of relations were the kind that required future efforts to be made on his part. That wasn't his style, no matter how many women had tried to be the one to change it. "Next week." She said roughly and left him. He hit his head back against the wall. Forcing the air in his lungs to leave out his nose. Since when I become the puppet? He thought.

That was how it continued for the rest of September. Sirius would be polite and get on with Evans, then at the end of the week, in a different location every time; he and Marlene would snog each other senseless. However, it was always her that initiated and it was always her that finished it. Every time Sirius left unsatisfied, getting more and more wound up and sexually frustrated and he couldn't tell whether he liked it or not. It was a new kind of thrill. Sirius's newly changed attitude hadn't gone unnoticed by the other marauders. James was over the moon, as was Remus. Tension levels within the group had dropped considerably. Though Peter had not been taking much interest, instead his focus on the baffling amount of work they had been slumped with in preparation for their NEWTS the following year. Of course Sirius was still a long way off from getting James and Lily 'shacked up' together, but they had made steady progress on the friendship side of things. As a matter of fact, there hadn't been a single famous Potter and Evans scream off and it was putting some of the Gryffindor's on edge. Especially as there hadn't even been a welcome back Marauder prank. People believed it was only a matter of time before someone snapped.


	3. Hogsmeade Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: Tensions rise between the marauders thanks to Sirius's attitude. Marlene confronts him with a proposal, be nice enough to Lily to get her to agree to date James and I'll shag you.

"McKinnon? Can I have a word?" Sirius asked when he found her sitting at the coffee table in the centre of the common room. October was midway through and the autumn chill had settled. "Sure" She replied absent minded not looking up from the parchment she was writing furiously on.

"Privately" He growled. The surrounding second and third years got the message pretty quickly and scattered in fear. "Nice one Black, just went people were starting to think you were approachable" Marlene smirked, still not looking up from her work.

"Yeah well it's to do with our arrangement so I figured you wouldn't want prying ears around to overhear" He perched on the arm of one of the sofas annoyed that he still had not gotten her whole attention. "Oh?" She questioned not sounding very interested. "We need to spice things up a bit... I'm getting a bit bored" He told her.

"Is that so? I never hear you complain. Frustrated more like" She scoffed. "Maybe, not my fault someone isn't co-operative" the irritation was beginning to show. "There are other 'skirts' as you put it that you can take your frustration out on is there not? I'm not stopping you. We're not together" She replied.

It was true, their arrangement was strictly business. No strings attached, which is what Sirius had always wanted. Or at least that's what he had thought he'd wanted. Now he was just being wound up beyond belief. Sure he had every opportunity to continue to snog or shag any other girl in the castle, Merlin half of them threw themselves at him. But for the first time in his life Sirius didn't want the trail of other girls following after him begging him to take their clothes off. Oh he'd tried to take his frustrations out on another skirt a fair few times now but it didn't do anything for him. Since the last time they'd met up he hadn't touched any girl other than Marlene. Marlene's snogs were different to all the other he'd experienced, nothing compared, everything else was dull.

"Well it's getting harder to stay nice to Evans being all wound up like this." He tried to bargain with her. He watched Marlene's eyes drift away from her parchment and towards his crotch area. "Don't look that all wound up to me. Either that or the rumours aren't true" She smiled.

"Cheeky bitch" He said although he chuckled on the inside. "Why don't we find out if the rumours are true or not them hmm? I happen to know for a fact the secret passage way by the kitchens is empty and available for some mid Friday afternoon snogging."

"I have a transfiguration essay to finish. You do too since I doubt you've done it already and will leave it til last minute like always" She replied disinterested. "But I tell you what. There's a Hogsmeade weekend next week. You invite Lily to spend the day with you and the other Marauders... and are pleasant to her for the entire outing... I'll think about spicing things up a bit. Agreed?" Not that he could argue with her. She had what he wanted but he had to do what she said in order to get it. If he wanted more physicality, he was going to have to work for it.

"Deal" He growled. He made sure no one was looking and leaned in to bite her ear lobe. "I look forward to it" He said huskily, however instead of quivering like he expected she just brushed him off. "Essay" She replied bluntly.

* * *

* * *

 

Lily was where Sirius had expected to find her, in a corner of the library surrounded by a hoard of books and presumably a mountain of homework. She was scratching away furiously on a piece of parchment as he approached. Much Like Marlene she completely ignored his presence. Either that or she was so absorbed she genuinely didn't notice him. "You know Evans there's the whole of the weekend to do all that shit" He said taking a seat beside her.

"I do realise but if I get the most of it done now I can actually enjoy my weekend and not rush to do it at last minute on Sunday. You smell like smoke by the way." She commented turning her nose up at the stench. "Keep your knickers on Lils I'm going to go take a shower after I finish up hear with you."

"And what exactly is there to finish up?" She questioned, turning her full attention to him and putting her quill down. "Well little Miss prefect as you know there is a Hogsmeade trip next weekend." Sirius stated, building up to ask her to attend. "I do... but what had that got to do with me?" She asked eye brows scrunched.

"Well I am humbly inviting you to spend the day with the marauders." He finished. "Who's to say I don't have a date?" She remarked. "Do you?" He asked her. He already knew full well she didn't... he'd checked. "No..." She admitted.

"Right then. Thus my invitation. Alice and Mckinnon are welcome to join to. But I presume Alice will go off with lover boy Longbottom and I know for a fact that at least three pairs of trousers have asked the ever so unobtainable McKinnon." "Alright then" She folded.

"Alright then?"

"I'll join you in Hogsmeade. It's not like I have anything better to do for anyone else to go with Sev... Snape obviously isn't going with me." She paused briefly as she mentioned her previous friend. Now that she mentioned it Sirius couldn't think of a time she'd seen Lily in Hogsmeade without him skulking around somewhere close by. "Well there you go. See you at dinner then Evans, stay sharp" He said cheekily giving her a kiss on the cheek and ruffled her long red hair.

"What was that for?" She asked shocked.

"That? Oh nothing, just the old Black charm. You see Evans now that you're not barking orders and losing your rag all the time, you're actually quite attractive. But not to worry, you're not my type" And with that he turned away and strolled purposefully out of the library with his hands in his pockets. See Mckinnon, I can make this work. Spicy here I come he thought.

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius paced the hidden corridor behind the tapestry on the second floor. Marlene had been the one to suggest this location, she made up the time. So where the fuck was she? He was becoming increasingly inpatient. Already half an hour late and he was skipping detention with McGonagall for this. "Evening" She said appearing suddenly.

"About fucking time!" He replied, coming toward her hastily and pushing her against the wall going in for a kiss. But she pushed him away. "Oh come on Mckinnon! I've been here for over half an hour!" He protested.

"Oh boo-hoo Black I'm sure you'll live. So what have you got planned for Hogsmeade with Lily?" She laughed sarcastically at him. "Really? We're gonna talk about this shit now?!" He growled frustrated, sticking his hands to his head ruffling up his hair. She smiled knowing that she had him right where she wanted him and placed a hand on his crotch, regaining his attention. He looked down slowly to see her hand pressed softly against him. He took a deep breath in through his teeth and gulped.

"Yes this session is reserved for talking. It's Hogsmeade tomorrow. I wanna know what you have planned. Besides there's more in it for you tomorrow night. Room of Requirement, also known as the come and go room... Ever heard of it?" She asked.

"You know about it?" He sounded surprised, he always thought it was only the marauders who knew of its existence. "Never bothered to read Hogwarts a History have you?" She stated as if it were obvious. "Course not that thing is fucking huge"

"But useful. It notes a few discovered passageways and the come and go room. It doesn't say where it's located though, just how to get into it. I spent all of third and fourth year looking for it. But I now know where it is. Interested?" She asked him sultrily.

"Certainly" He attempted to kiss her again, she turned her head. So he opted for kissing down her neck instead. "Sirius. Talking" She hissed.

"Talk away I'm not stopping you" He replied between kisses. She shoved him off her violently so he hit the other wall. "Talk. What's the plan for tomorrow? For every minute you talk a button comes undone..." She said suggestively removing her jumper and revealing the white buttoned school shirt. Tempted he licked his lips.

"Well, you know it's just going to be pretty relaxed, a walk around the village maybe. Few drinks at the three broom sticks" She undid another button slowly. The tops of her breasts were only just visible. "Fuck! What else is there? It's not like Evans will come into Zonko's with us is it?"

"She might. I think you under estimate her Sirius." She kept her fingers on the next button. "The shack. The shrieking shack." He said quickly. "We'll visit the shack..."

"Third year much?" She giggled keeping her fingers on the button. "We are not going into that bloody Madame what's her faces" He told her exasperated.

"Oh you aren't expected to... Lily wouldn't go in there even if you hog tied her. Again Black proves how little you know…Keep thinking" She popped the button.

"The book store! We'll go into the blood book store! What's it called? McClouds! McClouds book store. The tiny one on the corner! She'll love that right?!" He said hastily. She popped the remaining two buttons. "Bingo" She said seductively.

Sirius could feel his mouth watering. He could now see her breasts sitting in her black bra. It was tight and clung to her. He let his eyes wander over her curves, her hips. "Can I get a bloody snog now?" He asked impatiently. She pushed herself off of the wall and sauntered over to him and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "See you tomorrow Black." She pulled her jumper back on and left.

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius waited with the other marauders at the gate to Hogsmeade for Lily. While the others chatted he lit a cigarette and put it against his lips. Careful not to get himself noticed by McGonagall or Filch. He checked his watch, only about 11 hours or so before his 'date' with Marlene in the room of requirement. All he had to do was get through a day in Hogsmeade with Evans and he was in for some action. He stubbed out his cigarette as he saw Lily coming towards them and slipped it back into the pack, no point in wasting it if it wasn't finished.

"Sorry, couldn't find my gloves" She said breathlessly, showing her bare hands as proof which were already turning a light shade of pink in the crisp cold air. "Here... Take mine." James said quickly taking his own off.

"Oh no James, I can't do that. Its fine I'll just keep my hands in my pockets." She smiled at him.

"Why don't we go on over to McClouds. It'll be warm in there" Sirius commented leading them towards the village. The marauders and Lily looked at him as if he'd grown horns. "You in a book store Pads?" Remus asked carefully

"I just figured it would be somewhere Lily would like to go." Sirius argued in his own defence. Last thing he needed was Remus thinking he was interested in books or something. "Well actually I was meaning to go there... I just didn't think you'd want to go. You don't usually think about these kind of things" Lily said quietly, smiling at him

"Yes well had to bribe you into coming into Zonko's later somehow" He replied hurriedly, he couldn't have anyone thinking he was going soft on Lily Evans.

"I would have been more than willing to come into Zonko's thank you" She replied poking her tongue out at him. They walked together to the book store, Remus and Lily happily browsed the shelves and muttered about authors and books they'd read. Sirius chose to lean against a case in the 'restricted' adult section. Amongst books like 'Top 10 tips to please your witch or wizard' and 'a certified guide to poisons and curses'. James casually chatted with Lily before making his way over to him.

"Thanks mate. For inviting Lily, I mean. It means a lot to me." Sirius looked puzzled for a second. Then he realised, James thought that he'd invited Lily along to a marauders day out for him. He had no idea about his own ulterior motive, he felt a strange feeling well in the pit of his stomach. The same feeling, he felt after trying to lead Snape to Remus on a full moon; guilt.

"Oh yeah... You're welcome. Figured you could use a chance to get chummy." Sirius told him quickly.

"I mean it Pads, thanks" He replied grinning, patting his friend on the shoulder. "I'm glad to see you making an effort. No one wanted to say anything to you in case it jinxed things but, you've really started to change your attitude a bit this year. It's good to see." He continued. "You're still good old Padfoot but I dunno, you seem more positive and mature. Wow those are two words I never thought I'd put with you in a sentence. So anyway we need to discuss our next big prank. Just because we're being all responsible now doesn't mean we still can't give Hogwarts a good laugh"

Sirius grinned the idea of a prank, especially one against the Slytherins sounded heavenly. "Can't really discuss it with goody two shoes around though can we?"

"Can't discuss what with whom around Black?" Lily said coming to join the pair. "See ears like a bat Prongs" Sirius concluded making his point. "If this is about a prank on the Slytherins I have a few ideas..." She hinted subtly. Sirius's eyes went wide.

"You? Help us with a prank? Since when?"

"Since I realised you're not all bloody idiots. You forget I used to have a friend on the inside, I know a few things, that and I'm not too shabby at magic either. You never asked me to help you since you usually targeted Snape." She had a point Sirius realised. "Alright Evans I'll bite what's your plan?"

"How about you shout first round at the three broom sticks and we discuss there? Then we can get a few supplies from Zonko's?"

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius was seriously beginning to have doubts that the girl in front of him was in reality Lily Evans. Or if somehow she'd grown a new personality over the summer. Could someone have slipped her some sort of potion? Maybe he was dreaming, hallucinating even. Perhaps eating those mushrooms from potions on a dare were finally messing with him. He subtly pinched the inside of his own elbow. Nope not a dream then he was definitely conscious of that. He turned to each of his friends to gage their reactions on the situation. Remus had his eye brow raised, surprised but impressed none the less. Peter had his mouth open so wide he could catch flies. Then there was James. A sparkle in his mischievous eye and a grin plastered so widely on his face it could crack. Nope clearly he wasn't hearing things and this was indeed the real Lily Evans before him. "See not so much of a goody-good now am?" She boasted taking another sip of butterbeer. Her lips were curling into a smirk; she was dam well bloody pleased with herself.

"Why did we never use her before Prongs?" Sirius asked directing the question at his brother but looking straight at Lily. "Because she used to hate your guts" James sniggered. Lily clinked her glass into his giving him a rare smile.

"Yes well, now me and Evans have what I believe to be quite a strong relationship going for us. Thank you very much. Now we need red itching powder, laxatives, red hair dye, whatever it is Evans calls cellophane, canary creams, mirrors, a few ghoul costumes and a couple of love potions." He rattled off the list of prank materials as he wrote them down on his used napkin. James who had been in the process of picking at the hot chips on the table stopped short with a sour look on his face.

"I can get cellophane easy. I'll just owl home. Dad should be able to send some" Lily smiled. Sirius watched as she leant over the table and gave James's outstretched hand a reassuring gentle squeeze. No one else seemed to notice this fact put James locked eyes with her across the table. "See team work Prongs!" James chuckled at his friend's excitement.

"So operation 'Slytherin fun house' is underway." Remus laughed. Lily drained her mug and stood up.

"Where you going Evans?" Sirius asked, noting that she was putting her scarf around her neck. "Back to the castle Black. Curfew is in ten minutes, while I know you lot can sneak back in whenever you please it looks odd if I'm not back on time." She stuck her tongue out at him and addressed the others.

"Thanks for a great day guys, it was fun, we should do it more often. I'll let you know when I get the cellophane." She kissed each of them on the cheek as she left. Peter squeaked, Remus smiled, Sirius attempted to be cheeky by requesting another and James went the colour of a beetroot.

"Woo-hoo even old Prongsie boy gets a kiss aren't you lucky" Sirius remarked teasing his friend. But James just grinned at him. "Thanks Pads. I owe you a fire whiskey. Not a lot of friends would do that, I'm really pleased you're making an effort with Evans." He replied once Lily had exited the Three Broom Sticks. "So you said." Sirius mumbled back, the guilt from early had faded but now his friend's comment was allowing it to resurface.

"Come on let's go sweet talk Rosmerta shall we?" James asked cheerfully pulling money from his pocket.

"Na not today mate. Some other time."

James looked stunned, as did his other friends. Sirius Black had never refused a drink let alone a free fire whisky when it was offered. The other marauders all gave him questioning looks as though he had contracted some sort of illness to cause him to be acting so incredibly out of character. But Sirius shrugged of their curious looks and just stood calmly to put his cloak on around his shoulders. "You feeling alright pads?" Remus asked him. Sirius sighed and rolled his eyes. Why were all his motives being questioned recently? I mean sure he had his ulterior motive waiting u at the castle but his mates didn't know that.

"Yeah, I've already had a couple plus I've got a skirt back up at the castle tonight. Probably not a good idea to get too shit faced." He shrugged, why make up a lie when he could just alter the specifics of the people involved.

"I think I'm hallucinating" Remus continued turning to James. "Padfoot is willingly being mature and responsible." Sirius scoffed at them both as they laughed jovially. Peter was confused by the entire ordeal. "Ha, very funny" Sirius said sarcastically. "See you. Don't wait up for me"

* * *

* * *

 

 _Shit!_ While Sirius knew where to find the room of requirement or the come and go room as Marlene called it, he did not know how he was supposed to get in. With Marlene already inside waiting for him he had no clue what form the room would have taken and thus no idea what to ask for so he could enter. _This is a bunch of bollocks. Be nice to Evans all day. James free drink. Want a snog. Fucks sake. Need a smoke._ He thought as he paced the corridor. He was bound to be there all night at this rate and he hadn't thought to steal the invisibility cloak from James's trunk before making his way up here. If Filch caught him he was screwed. He didn't fancy scrubbing the trophy room without magic again this month.

"Given up yet?" Marlene's voice called out to him chuckling. She stood leaning in a door way that had suddenly appeared out of thin air. "Didn't know how to ruddy get in did I?" He huffed following her inside.

The room Marlene had created was warm thanks to a fire place that was glowing in the corner. After the chill of the October air in the village. The flames created a flickering pattern of illuminating light across the walls and ceiling. Sirius could finally appreciate the view there was a four poster bed in the centre of the room. Just like the ones in Gryffindor tower, however this one was more than big enough for two. He kicked his shoes off against the wall and at last had a chance to take a look at Marlene properly. She was dressed in all black, a pair of tight jeans and a low V-neck long sleeved shirt which clung to her slim frame. Her breasts were peering out the top at him like they had been the previous night behind the tapestry. She was barefooted on the wooden floor. Her hair was tied up loosely in a bun that was slowly unravelling. Sirius felt his mouth become suddenly quite dry, then spontaneously water all at once. His mind was racing, he wanted to grab her and snog her and place her on the bed. But from the look on her face he could tell she had other ideas.

"Sit on the edge of the bed Black" She said defiantly arms crossed. He didn't need telling twice. He sat himself on the very end of the bed as instructed, his legs dangling over the side, using his hands to prop his body up into a seated position. "How'd it go with Lily?" She asked sauntering over. She pushed his knees apart with her own and was left standing between his legs.

"Just fine. Went to the book store had a few drinks. Planned a prank. Prongs seemed pretty happy with the whole affair." He replied smugly his eyes rolling over her body. "That's good I hoped he would be." She sank to her knees in front of him and ran her fingers teasingly over his thighs. "So Lily helped plan a famous marauders prank?"

"Boy did she ever. Girls has a knack for suspicious antics I must say." Sirius admitted unable to take his eyes off of her. "She gets it from her dad, he was always the class clown in school apparently. Until Mrs Evans came along. Then they were more of a dynamic duo after that" She laughed, her fingers working their way further and further up his thighs.

"Ha can you imagine Prongs and Evans doing that? They'd be unstoppable, maybe she wouldn't be such a bad influence on him after all." He grinned. He slipped one of his hands over one of hers pushing it up to let her fingers brush against the zipper of his trousers. "You thought she'd be a bad influence? How?" Marlene quizzed, slipping her hand out from beneath his.

"Oh come on you know Evans. She can be so tight arsed and high and mighty about everything. Every party we held she never came; she stayed holed up in the girl's dormitories. Every prank she'd be scolding us afterwards. If he'd actually managed to get himself shacked up with her Prongs would be wrapped around her pinkie finger. Then it would be all over rover for the marauders." He offered as an explanation.

"Sirius before now who was Lily friends with?" Marlene stopped working her hands over his thighs and frowned at him.

"Well it was Snape and..." Sirius thought for a moment and it dawned on him. Severus Snape had been until fifth year Lily Evans only friend. "Well yeah it was Snape" "And why would she come to a party where she had no friends? Who were most of your pranks on?" She continued.

"Snape" He admitted, the name tasting bitter on his tongue.

"So why wouldn't she get angry and upset if her only friend was being pranked on and targeted? Wouldn't you do the same for James or Remus or Peter for that matter? Haven't you noticed that now he's gone from the picture she's a lot more relaxed and easy going? Sirius the more you learn about her I think the more she'll surprise you. She's a loyal and loving friend when it comes down to it, she'd be a useful ally. Not to mention uncommonly kind." She finished slowly returning to her previous ministrations.

"Yeah. I guess you're right McKinnon" He took his eyes of her hands for a moment and looked her in the eye. She seemed almost closed off to him in a way, like she wasn't really there in the same space. She was lost somewhere in the depths of her own mind and thoughts. She snapped back out of it when she realised he was watching her intently. "That's what I wanted to hear" She grinned. Fully out of whatever stupor she had been lost in Marlene took the button of his trousers in her teeth and undid it carefully using her tongue to ease it lose.

She then moved onto undoing his zipper; she flicked it into her mouth with her tongue and clamped down on it between her teeth. Sirius's eyes went wide with amazement. He'd had many young witches undo his trousers before but never in such a fashion. It was usually a flurry of shaking and or desperate hands followed by an intense snog. He leaned back further putting more weight into his hands and waited impatiently to see how she'd continue. She jiggled his pants loose from around his waist, he lifted then from the mattress to allow them to come off with greater ease and they dropped past his knees.

Lust filled in his chest, he anticipated her removing his underwear and wrapping her mouth around him as he had watched so many before her do. But again she did not do as he had expected. Crawling up his body she pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him across his waist. Sirius kicked his pants off from where they had fallen around his ankles, moving himself back further onto the bed dragging the delicate Marlene with him. He could feel the pressure building below his waist as the roughness of her jeans brushed against him. He attempted to undo her jeans but she stopped him, pushing him down onto his back and pinned his hands above his head.

"Oh no you don't Black" She whispered lips grazing against his ear. Her lips slipped along his jaw line to his neck trailing long kisses down it. Sirius felt his breath hitch as she sucked on his pulse point at the base of his collar. The temperature of the room seemed to be rising despite the fact that the fire was dying out now. Marlene would not for the life of him let him move his hands. He was surprised by her strength to keep him pinned down. She began to grind her hips agonisingly slowly against his and it drove Sirius insane. He longed to touch her and grab her. He fought against her but it was no use. She just kept pushing his hands back into position. "Be good and keep your hands there" She panted sitting up and releasing his hands. "You move and this doesn't come off. I say what can and can't come off or be touched clear?" She asked and tugged at the hem of her own shirt.

Sirius tried to relax his breathing but it still came out shallow and heavy. He watched as Marlene removed her shirt from her body teasingly. His senses were heightened, he heard every noise, the crackle of the fire, a distance rumbling of thunder outside and their laboured breathing. He could see her breasts fully now; cheeky minx hadn't even worn a bra. He almost went to touch her when he remembered. Not listening to Marlene came with a price that he wasn't keen on discovering. Thankfully she granted his longing for touch by placing his hands on her breasts. She bent over again and resumed kissing and sucking on his neck. Daringly Sirius squeezed her and let his hands travel over her breasts and stomach. Her skin was as smooth as he'd imagined. He wasn't brave enough however to venture near her jeans again which were still rubbing furiously against him.

Marlene rolled onto her side pulling Sirius with her. Her hands roamed south to his hips and she dipped her fingers ever so slightly beneath the waist band of his boxer shorts. Sirius groaned and caught her lips with his own. He was half expecting a protest that never came. She slipped her hand deeper and stroked along him tenderly. Sirius's kisses became more passionate and desperate, with his erection beneath her fingers his arousal was clear. Firmly, but gently, she wrapped her fingers around him and moved her fist up and down his shaft in a slow, steady motion. He released a groan again from the back of his throat and pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth. Marlene took this as a hint to change her speed and pressure. She added a gentle twisting motion on the way down. Sirius found his hands wandering her body, leaving one hand on her breast her let the other travel down to her jeans and rubbed her through them. Marlene took her free hand and removed it. Sirius sighed in frustration. Clearly he couldn't get away with too much. What was wrong with this girl? Every other girl was usually screaming and begging for his touch but not her. He tried again but got the same reaction. "Fuck Marls" He hissed between his teeth.

"Frustrated are we Sirius?" She winked and he saw her plan. This was what she wanted. To pleasure him to the point of insanity. He was so hyped up by his own pleasure he wanted to share it with her. It was an odd feeling indeed. With other girls it was just a case of shutting them up or getting them to continue what they were doing. "Very. I've been good haven't I?" He tried to make his voice sound strong but it came out has more of a plea. Her lips brushed against his ear and he felt her hot breath on his neck.

"Go on then" She whispered and went back to kissing his lips. He wasted no time in returning his hand but this time he furiously undid her button and slipped his hand beneath her pants. He rubbed her through her underwear and could feel the wetness seeping through. It was enough to drive him mad. He was about to slip his fingers beneath her panties when she pulled away from his and got off the bed. Stunned Sirius could barely move. He watched her as she retrieved her shirt from the floor and put it back on. "Spicy enough for you Black?" She winked re-doing the button on her pants. "See you next week" She laughed and headed out the door.

"Fuck!" Sirius yelled rolling onto his back in frustration. He wanted more and Marlene was very good at not giving him what he wanted and everything he wanted all at once.


	4. All Aboard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: Lily attends a marauders day out in Hogsmeade and helps then to plan a prank on Slytherin house. While Sirius offered her the invite under his own intentions James believes his friend is doing it for him. Sirius has a steamy encounter with Marlene and makes some realisations that maybe Lily Evans isn't as bad as he first thought.

As promised Lily had managed to get her father to send her cellophane through the owl post just in time for their master prank against the Slytherins. She revealed it to Sirius in the common room after breakfast and he couldn't quite see how someone could be dumb enough to fall for a prank involving it wrapped around a toilet seat. Lily grew the most devilish smirk he had ever seen across her face. "Oh you'll see" She warned him. Sirius spent the next three days checking the toilet every time he went to take a piss but nothing happened. Perhaps she'd just been attempting to wind him up. She was a lot more like Marlene than Sirius had previously anticipated. She was actually quite witty. How she got away with half the shit she said to Slughorn in potions he hadn't the foggiest. That was the kind of leverage he often found himself needing from the Hogwarts Professors. His charm only got him out of so many detentions. It wasn't until the day before Halloween that Sirius fell for the prank that Lily had in store from him.

Used to his new found routine of checking the loo Sirius still managed to do it in his half asleep state before descending the boy's staircase in order to head down for breakfast. It was as he attempted to bolt out of the open portrait hole that he met his match. He smacked solidly into the cellophane Lily had carefully placed over the entrance after escorting those already in the common room into the corridor. A group had stayed behind to watch what she was doing curiously. A few of them had remained long enough to watch Sirius's embarrassing collision with it. Laughter echoed along the corridor and Lily was left on her knees laughing harder than the rest of them tears streaming down her face. Sirius was helped up off the floor bashfully by a rather amused looking Remus.

"I cannot believe you fell for that" His friend chuckled righting him on his feet.

"I couldn't bloody see the bastard stuff" He grumbled, but he soon realised that the whole ordeal had actually been kind of funny. The marauders pranked each other all the time but it was rare for someone other than Peeve's the poltergeist to attempt to prank them. Lily had certainly succeeded at the challenge. Sirius shook his head and actually started to laugh himself.

"The trick is to make sure you pull it nice and tight" Lily gasped out as she tried to regain her composure.

"Alright Evans I'll give you that one. The Slytherin's won't know what hit them"

* * *

* * *

 

"There's a flaw in the plan Prongs" Peter piped up as the group prepared to make their 4am assault on the Slytherin dorms. Sirius was not too pleased to be awake at this hour but it was the best chance they had at none of the Slytherin's being awake to see their plot unfold. "What are you on about Wormtail? We know the password; we've got everything we need. Moony charmed his rucksack so we can fit everything in it. What's the problem?"

"Well… to get there and back without being caught or seen we'd have to use the map, or the cloak, or both. Lily doesn't know about either of them. Plus, we won't all fit." Peter responded as if it were obvious.

"Shite I hadn't thought of that" James replied honestly looking at Sirius for direction. "We could just leave her here? Tell her it's too risky for her to get caught?"

"She won't have a bar of it Prongs and you know it, besides we need her to be able to set up the girl's dorms. Well we can probably get away with her knowing about the cloak… but definitely not the map. She'd have it confiscated in a heartbeat for it being dangerous in the wrong hands or something." Sirius pondered for a moment as to how to rectify the situation. "Well you, Moony and Evans can all fit under the cloak. You leave me and Wormy with the map. We'll tell her some bollocks about us being better at sneaking around the castle after so many years. You guys go in, you take care of the boy's dorm, Remus can deal to the common room and Lily can take the girls. Wormy and I will keep watch using the map outside, if anyone's coming I'll contact you through our mirrors. Worst comes to worst and we need a distraction Peter can go rat."

"Bloody hell Padfoot you've been spending too much time around Evans" James laughed. "I don't think I've ever heard you be more logical and methodical about anything."

"Oh shut up you've gotta be the one to explain the cloak." Sirius teased back. They descended the boy's stairs together to find a sleepy Lily already in the common room with two rolls of cellophane under her arm. "Alright Evans?" Sirius greeted her.

"Morning" She yawned. "Let's get this over with and I might have a chance at slipping another hour of sleep in before breakfast."

"Before we go anywhere Prongs has something to show you"

"Oh does he just?" Lily raised an eyebrow at him intrigued. "Ugh yeah" James stammered. "It's a bit of a marauders secret actually. It's how we've been able to get around the castle undetected for pranks." He fished the invisibility cloak out of his back pocket and surrounded himself in it. Disappearing instantly from view. Lily gasped approaching him. James revealed himself again and handed her the cloak sheepishly. "Where the bloody hell did you get it?" She breathed. In awe as she ran the fabric between her fingers.

"I sort of inherited it. My dad gave it to me for my birthday when I was in first year, same as his father had given it before him and so on." James explained. "So since you're less experienced at skulking around the castle you, me and Remus are going to go under the cloak. Sirius and Peter are gonna trail a little behind since they're better at sneaking than the rest of us and they'll stand guard outside the common room. We've got a set of two way mirrors so we can let each other know if anyone's coming"

"Okay cool. I was wondering how we were going to get down to the dungeons undetected. I thought we'd just be taking all the secret passage short cuts. I was kind looking forward to finding all of those."

"Another time ae red? Right let's get a move on shall we." Sirius butted in. The group nodded, the Slytherin's would never know what hit them.

* * *

* * *

 

Despite how sleep deprived they all were the marauders and Lily could barely contain their excitement and nerves at breakfast a few hours later. So far none of the Slytherins had made it up to the great hall and an hour had passed already. "It's gonna be a hit Evans" Sirius smiled giving her hand a squeeze, she squeezed back lightly offering a smile of her own.

For the past few weeks Sirius had in Lily's eyes at least become a very valuable friend. He was also really starting to enjoy her company himself. Even the Hogwarts professors had started to notice the change now and would often be caught staring over at the marauders and smiling brightly while whispering amongst themselves. A few had even dared to pair Lily off with Sirius or James in favour of Remus or Peter. With no conflict occurring between members of her own house Professor McGonagall had never looked happier to the student body. Though the marauders themselves seriously doubted they'd be seeing a smile on McGonagall's face when their prank was discovered and this time Lily was involved. "I'm so getting detention for this." She replied laughing.

"Do you care? You know we can always take the blame" Sirius told her seriously.

"Are you fucking kidding me Black? Let you take all the credit for one of the best pranks played on the Slytherins in history? Never. Detention here I come. It won't kill me to get one on my record." Lily said eagerly. "It'll be more like a month Evans" James sniggered.

"Oh well I'll be stuck with at least one of you lot. That'll make it bearable" She grinned James grinned back at her just as widely. Sirius took the opportunity presented to wind her up. "We'll try and arrange it so you and old' Prongs get some alone time" He whispered in her ear and winked.

"Ha have you still not dropped that?" Lily sighed. "Have you still not given in?" He countered.

"Not just yet Black" She blushed as she answered he noted. That was certainly interesting, maybe this being nice thing was working more in his friends favour than he had first dared to think.

"So there will be a time where you give in then?" He wiggled his eyes brows suggestively. Yes, this was working, she was falling for James. If they started going out, he would finally get to have his wicked way with Marlene. Their arrangement had been spiced up but it still wasn't everything. Marlene still refused let him touch her there. It was madness and it drove him wild.

"Maybe" She blushed furiously.

"Only a maybe?" He asked.

"I still need some time." She explained in a hushed whisper, checking to make sure they weren't being over heard.

"Why? What for?" He questioned confused. Lily looked worried then sighed.

"I'll talk to you about it later" She whispered. "I'll be in the library after lunch. Come find me"

"You alright Evans?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah. I'm fine" She smiled meekly and turned her gaze back towards the entrance to the great hall where shrill shrieking could be heard. The first stream of Slytherins came piling in. Scratching vicariously and screaming about their hair being vibrant shades of red and gold. They all looked a mess and some were covered in cream. Immediately McGonagall glared over at the marauders, as they and Lily burst into laughter along with the rest of the great hall. Slughorn ran down from the teacher's table in order to console the members of his house while McGonagall stormed to the Gryffindor table.

"I take it you are responsible?!" She scolded.

"Yes ma'am" Lily shrieked with laughter. "You miss Evans?" The head of house raised her eye brows in surprise and horror. "Indeed Professor I am. I take full responsibility. It was all my idea you see, a bit of fun and a little revenge. I accept my punishment now." She replied having gained her composure.

"Be that as it may be Miss Evans I doubt you acted alone" The Professor replied stiffly. "Detention all of you. For the next fortnight. I'll see you in my office tomorrow at 6pm sharp" She continued crossly and stalked away. Sirius could swear he saw the transfiguration teacher suppress a smile as she moved away to attempt to aid Slughorn in returning the Slytherin student to normal and it made him grin. He looked up at the staff table to see a few others trying to mask their amusement at the marauders latest stunt. He caught Professor Dumbledore's eye and the old man winked at him. "Now, now Slytherin house no need for the shrieking! Please report to hospital wing and I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have you all back to your...charming... selves in no time" Dumbledore announced.

"You're bloody brilliant Evans" Sirius barked and gave her a one armed hug. She smiled back at him. "Not so bad yourself Black"

* * *

* * *

 

After lunch Sirius sought Lily out in the library as she had requested. She was in the same corner she always was with a stack of books piled around her. She was biting her nails and glancing around nervously every few seconds, behaviour that was not like her at all. His concern grew, he'd seen Lily nervous and stressed before around exams but never like this. "Sup, Evans" He called out. She jumped then realised it was him.

"Merlin you scared me. I almost thought you were another one of the Slytherins coming to give me grief." She sighed with relief. "Yeah well anymore do and you come get me or James got it?" She nodded "Now. What's up Evans? What's stopping you from dating my best bud?"

"You never say a word understand? You're being sworn to secrecy here. Not even Remus knows all I'm about to tell you" She whispered there was panic in her tone, as if this was something she'd rather not be sharing. "Alright Evans, alright. Calm down. Now what is it?" He asked. She took a deep breath in and pulled her sleeve back.

What Sirius saw made him feel sick to his stomach. Beneath her shirt, just above the elbow there was a long and jagged scar crawling up her arm towards her shoulder. Sirius inhaled sharply as he imagined the pain she would have felt when the wound had been inflicted. She drew her sleeve back down again wary of other people potentially hanging around.

"After we joined Hogwarts Severus turned more and more towards being friends with the death eater wannabes he wasn't home much. I don't know if you know this but we're from the same town, he was the one who taught he that I was a witch and told me all about Hogwarts growing up. So without him around all the time I was very lonely during the holidays. Alice would visit on the odd occasion but I live pretty out of the way. So it's always just been easier to meet up at the leaky at the end of the summer" She began softly "Instead of being a sad sack and sitting around on my arse all day I went out of my way to try make friends back home and I met this guy, Jareth. He seemed nice and relatable, soon I found myself falling for him and we started dating. He thought I went away to some boarding school and that's why I was never around so I guess I just let him think that. Since I couldn't really tell him with the whole statue of secrecy thing" She swallowed as if she was struggling not to choke on her own words.

"We dated for a few months. I passed letters to him through my mum since I couldn't really send owl post could I? And I went home every break I could to see him, but then when I came back from Hogwarts last Easter he got a little... Possessive of me I suppose. I couldn't go anywhere by myself, I couldn't even walk to or from work. It got a bit mad actually. He was insistent that next time I went back to school he'd escort me onto the train himself" Tears started to form in her eyes.

"And it started getting to the point where he'd... he'd hurt me if I didn't update him on where I was practically every hour on the hour. That happened as well as a few other things" She gestured to her arm. "Not long after that I left him and got a restraining order. Then obviously my mum died this summer. So it's nothing to do with James as a person Sirius it's not. James is lovely but I just can't put myself through all that again right now. I just need a year to find myself again if you get what I mean"

"Fair enough. So what's this bloke's last name and address? I have a funny feeling he'll be having a tragic freak accident sometime in future" Sirius replied aggressively his blood was boiling. He was so mad he could hear his own pulse in his ears. How dare anyone lay a hand on a woman like that? Especially the likes of Lily Evans. Had he been a wizard she would have been able to jinx his sorry arse all the way to Timbuctoo.

"Thanks but no thanks Sirius" She laughed weakly and wiped away her tears. "Though I'd appreciate it you could get the James and me hooking up banter to a minimum. At least around me for the time being." Then spontaneously he hugged her. Not a pathetic one armed hug like all his others up until this point had been. This was a full squeezed tightly, chest to chest, comforting hug. It stunned Lily who was not used to Sirius's new found empathetic side. She wrapped her arms around his broad back and let herself be comforted for the first time in absolute peace. The overwhelming sense of relief hit her and silently she let the tears fall as Sirius continued to hold her.

From behind one of the shelves Marlene watched the scene unfold with a smile etched on her face. While she was not close enough to hear what had been discussed or shown she could see their reactions to one another. She was confident that she was succeeding in turning Sirius Black into the man he deserved to be.

* * *

* * *

 

The first week of November brought with it two of the Gryffindors favourite things: Sirius's 17th birthday and the first quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Which meant one thing as far as the rest of Gryffindor house was aware: a party. As Sirius's birthday was going to be a big one this year it was decided by the house to postpone their usual festivities until after the match to give him a really good bang. It was highly unlikely that they wouldn't slaughter Slytherin during the match, but if by some chance of fate, they did not succeed they'd still be getting piss drunk in Sirius's name anyway.

Sirius had hoped that since it was still his birthday that James would cancel the quidditch practise being held that evening. But it had been wishful thinking. He friend was so determined and so stressed over the upcoming match he'd booked out the pitch every chance he'd got. He was hardly about to postpone prime flying time. "Fancy an expedition to the come and go room after quidditch practise?" Marlene whispered against Sirius's ear as they made their way back up to the castle from the green houses after herbology.

"I thought we weren't meeting up in there again until after Hogsmeade in a couple of weeks?" Sirius asked confused. "I thought you deserved a treat. You've made leaps and bounds with Lily the past few weeks." She replied sensually, her hot breath tickling his ears. "Not to mention it's your birthday"

Sirius grinned at the thought. It wasn't often that Marlene offered out treats of a sexual nature and when she did it was a force to be reckoned with. Making sure no one was watching and that she was close enough, he cheekily slid his hand up the side of her body. He had learnt by now that she wouldn't shudder to his touch like other girls. Oh no Marlene was far too good and controlled for that. He knew however that if she bit her bottom lip slightly he truly was in for a treat. That was the only thing Sirius could really read of Marlene; that lip bite. It could mean several things, it could mean she was feeling mischievous, flirtatious or horny. But what Sirius had figured out by now was that, that lip bite; other than being the single sexiest thing on the planet, meant a one-way ticket to pleasure. She bit her lip softly. "Sounds like a plan to me McKinnon. What did you have in mind?"

He watched as Marlene slipped something from her pocket and put it into his. "Let's just say I'm willing to give in to one of your little desires. I know you long to touch. Guess I won't be needing this tonight." She winked and carried on ahead of him catching up with Lily and a few others.

When they were a little way in front Sirius delved his hand into his pocket and found a piece of fabric there. He ran the fabric between his fingers, it was soft but not silky like lace. He had a strong feeling as to what it was in his hot little hand and it made his mouth water. But he had to know for certain. Subtly he pulled the fabric from his pocket and he felt his heat plummet beneath his waist. It was true, in his hand he held the slim black underwear of Marlene McKinnon. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Oh tonight was gonna be good.

* * *

* * *

 

After a few cheeky drinks with the lads in the changing room Sirius made his apologies that he had a birthday present waiting up at the castle that he'd just hate to miss. They all gathered the idea that he was likely going to get laid and released him with teasing to use protection. Sirius got into the room of requirement with ease this time around. He knew exactly what he was asking for from Marlene's little hidey hole. It was the same set up as the night she had defined him the pleasure of touching her there. She was already in the room but she did not come to greet him at the door. Instead she lay curled up in the bed and clearly had not heard him come in. She was facing him but her eyes were closed. Sirius stood and watched her for the briefest of moments. Taking in her beauty and the peacefulness of her slow and steady resting breaths. It almost seemed a sin to disturb her.

Once again she was bare foot, but this time she was clad in PJ bottoms and a plain white t-shirt. The PJ bottoms were grey and kind of baggy looking and the shirt was not snug tight, but tight enough for Sirius to make out that no bra lay beneath it. He felt himself become aroused already. This was not how most girls dressed when they encountered him. Others dressed to impress. Marlene dressed to comfort and simplicity. He liked that, he knew exactly what he was getting not just some prettied up show pony. He admired her self-confidence. He slipped his shoes off quietly and padded across the wooden floors in his socks. Gingerly he crawled onto the bed and lay down beside her. Marlene opened one eye lazily, it was obvious that the warmth of the fireplace had been lulling her into an almost sleeping state. Sirius leaned forward and kissed her temple softly. Marlene dared offer a small weak smile. Sirius smiled back at her. He enjoyed this feeling of relaxation and comfort that he got whenever he was with her. There was no pressure involved. It mixed in with the passionate feelings he had towards her. He still longed desperately to have his wicked way with her, but he knew that was a way off yet. He wondered if he could last a whole year of doing this.

He wouldn't dare to push Evans for his own selfish gain now that he knew what he did. She had confessed and entrusted with him one of her darkest secrets, she had indeed become a loyal friend to both him and the other marauders. If she was going to date James, he'd have to wait a little longer until she was good and ready. And in a way he was glad. It meant he got to take advantage of more time with Marlene, he hated to think about what would happen once they'd actually done the deed. He hated it when he imagined that their relationship and this arrangement would cease to exist. "Hey sleepy head" He greeted her softly.

"Hey yourself Black" She murmured stretching out. The white fabric of her shirt stuck to her breasts and she stretched, causing it to lift and reveal her belly button but also show her nipples peering through. Sirius traced his thumb along her curves silently. Another thing he'd learnt through this whole experience was patience. If he rushed things Marlene would only tease him more and make him wait longer. Which was fine by him, but tonight he had the urge to just... feel.

The strange thing was and another first for Sirius was that he actually wanted to be romantically sensual towards Marlene. This arrangement was beginning to transform the way he looked at sex. He was no longer in it for the pure sexual pleasure he received, he was in for all the other emotions it brought to the table. Even though he wasn't entirely sure what those were. All Sirius knew was that he was in every way attracted to the girl in front of him and he wasn't sure what to do about it. For now, he'd go with the flow and tackle the obstacle of the cease of arrangements when it got down to it. Hell maybe he'd even ask her out. Like properly not like when he usually just bagged a girl then ran when it came to the commitment. Oddly enough with Marlene Sirius didn't feel the same spike to run that he usually did towards being committed. In fact, he hadn't even so much as thought about or looked at another girl in weeks. Marlene was the centre of most things now, he thought about her constantly. How was it she'd been able to nab all his attention after only a few months?

"You can take a nap if you want. We've got all night. You're clearly dressed for it" He chuckled softly kissing down the side of her face. "Of course. I plan on spending the night in here tonight Black." She replied happily.

"Oh really?" He gulped trying to remain calm and collected. "Aren't you? Like I said tonight's a treat after all." She sat up more and propped herself up on one arm. "Tonight is your night. You can touch me and pleasure me however you like and I can pleasure you however I desire. Once all is over I plan on sleeping here. Join me if you wish, or return to the dorms. Your choice."

Sirius's head was spinning. Never had he spent the entire night. Sleeping in the same bed as the girl he had just fondled, yet here was an open invitation. Sirius expected to feel off put, maybe even a little scared of the invitation but he didn't. He actually quite liked the idea of falling asleep next to Marlene. Sharing the heat of her body.

"I'll stay" He kissed down her throat.

"Good" She replied and began to remove his clothes.

He was still dressed in his quidditch robes. He'd however had the thought to leave his pads in the locker room. So Marlene pushed his robes from his body and threw them off the bed before moving onto his under shirt and trousers. As she undressed him Sirius slowly took advantage of being able to remove hers and touch each newly exposed piece of flesh. Marlene left him in just his underpants and socks. Whereas he stripped her completely a sight that he'd only been able to imagine until now. He let his eyes travel over her entirely naked frame for the first time. He was a little surprised to discover that she was clean shaved down there. He'd always expected Marlene to be one of the more naturistic types. He noticed a small shaving cut and touched it gently with his thumb. "Not what I expected" He muttered taking it all in.

"You don't like?" She asked. Sirius detected a hint of nerves in her tone something he'd never heard from her before. Perhaps she was not as calm, confident and comfortable with him that she made out she was.

"No I like, it's just not what I expected. I assumed you'd have... well... curls" He replied sheepishly. Marlene smiled. "Well I did until this morning. I figured you were a clean shaved man"

"I'm an either or man" He replied huskily. He pressed his body against hers and felt the heat radiate from her body. He kissed up her neck and along her jaw to her mouth. He brushed his tongue against her bottom lip asking for entrance. She allowed opening her mouth so his tongue could explore. Their kisses became heated and Marlene dove beneath his underwear and stroked and pumped him gently yet desperately. Sirius groaned against her mouth and explored with his own shaking hands.

He grazed his finger along her entrance. She was wet and waiting for him and he almost unravelled there and then. But he carried on. He used his free hand to help Marlene with her movements and slipped his finger inside her with the other. He felt her clench around him ever so slightly. He slipped a second in and worked her slowly. A quiet moan left the back of her throat. Sirius tickled inside her, trying to discover that one spot that he knew would be sure to drive her wild. He knew he'd found it when she bit his lip as she moaned and bucked her hips into him. He continued to hit her g-spot urging her to climax around him. Their kissed stopped and panting breaths took over with pleasurable moans and groans thrown in between. It lasted for close to half an hour before at last Marlene came around him and he felt he could release himself. They lay beside each other trembling and sweating. The air smelled sweet.

Sirius lifted the sheets and slipped Marlene's tired body beneath them. He joined her and watched silently and she drifted into a world of sleep naked beside him. It was with this sense of quiet comfort that he closed his own eyes and fell asleep into a world of pleasant dreams. Knowing that hopefully in the morning, he would wake up beside her.


	5. The Party Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: The pranks goes ahead sucessfully. Lily opens up to Sirius about elements of her past. While Sirius starts to develop feelings for Marlene...

Sirius woke drowsily when he felt the bed shift under the weight of another body. He opened one eye to see Marlene stood at the side of the bed with her back to him. She was still completely naked so he let his eyes wander over her. He felt himself growing hard again at the mere sight of her. He watched as she bent over and retrieved the clothes that had been scattered over the floor during last night's events. He was tempted to extend his arm and slap her lightly on her naked behind. But by now he knew better. "Leaving so soon?" He yawned into the pillow. Marlene slipped on her pants and turned to see him.

"Well it'll look odd if I'm out any longer. I slipped out after the others were already in bed. I need to get back to the dorm before anyone notices I'm missing and Lily is an early riser" She explained. "Fair enough" He sighed. "Give me a minute and I'll walk back with you" Sirius gathered his own clothes, choosing to put on his shirt and trousers and sling his quidditch robes up over one shoulder.

The walk back to the common room together was awfully quiet. Not the comfortable quite that Sirius was used to when with Marlene. This quiet was awkward. He wondered if he'd somehow managed to upset her. Maybe he snored and his dorm mates had never told him. Did he talk in his sleep? Did he kick her? He couldn't think of what he could have done to make her not want to even talk to him like they were mates. He wasn't presented with the opportunity to ask her either as before he knew it they were already slipping into the Gryffindor common room. He'd allowed himself to get too lost within his own thoughts. She didn't say a word to him as she ascended the stairs to the girl's dorms.

Maybe it was just getting close to that time of the month. Perhaps she was just tired. He shook the thoughts from his head and made his way up the stairs toward his own bed. He'd hoped he'd be able to slip in unnoticed and grab a few more hours sleep before James woke up to drag him down to the quidditch pitch for a few quick drills before breakfast and classes. He was not so fortunate. James was already awake and shrugging on his quidditch gear.

"Ah Padfoot finally. I was starting to think I'd need to get the map out to find ya. Good you're already dressed. Let's get down to the pitch yeah?" Sirius nodded glumly. Cursing himself for not just staying put in the room of requirement where James would have been unable to find him. They were the only two players down on the pitch. Sirius wondered why James hadn't bothered to rouse the rest of the team. The game was only two days away.

"We seem to have a bit of a problem on our hands Padfoot" James supplied as they grabbed their brooms from the cupboard. "Our lack of bloody players?" He grumbled in reply.

"No I was actually talking about Saturday."

"What about bloody Saturday? We're going to clobber Slytherin same as we do every year Prongs."

"It's a full moon Sirius" Sirius stopped dead in his tracks. No it wasn't. The moon was Sunday wasn't it? He ran through the dates in his head. The last full moon had been Friday October 8th, which made the next one November 6th… Saturday not Sunday. "Oh bollocks"

"Moony doesn't want us with him." James continued.

"The stupid prick why not?"

"Because he's worried we will draw attention to ourselves. Gryffindor is expecting a massive party Saturday for winning the match and your birthday. If we cancel people are going to know something is up. I hate to say it but he's right. The best we can do is tell everyone he pre-loaded too early and we've put him to bed."

As much as Sirius disliked the notion both Remus and James were right. If all four marauders disappeared without a trace on the night of one of the biggest parties of the year they'd easily be missed from the festivities. He was so thankful that they'd been fortunate enough to only have the four of them remaining in their year. It had been a nightmare before Fletchly left after OWLs. He was always sticking his nose in it. It was a blessing in a way his parents had deemed it too unsafe to return to Hogwarts. No one would be none the wiser that Remus wasn't upstairs but was in fact thrashing himself around in the shrieking shack.

"He's going to tear himself to shreds" Sirius muttered mounting his broom.

"Not much we can do about it this time I'm afraid Pads. We can make it up to him next month."

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius was on edge on Saturday. Not just because of his concerns for Remus and the match that they would be playing after breakfast but because Marlene still hadn't spoken to him since the morning after his birthday. Sure she was happy to respond to him and engage with him during group conversations but other than that it was like he didn't exist. What the bloody hell. It had put Sirius in a terror of a mood for the last few days and none of his friends knew the motive behind it.

"Let's just leave whatever it is that's bugging you out on the pitch yeah?" James mumbled over breakfast.

"Whatever you say Captain" Sirius bit back. As if the weather knew how he was feeling it reflected in the skies. It was a shocking day for quidditch with a torrential down pour. The first of undoubtedly many to come. Thunder was already starting to roll in over the black lake.

"That is if McGonagall doesn't cancel the match" Lily added. "McGonagall wouldn't fucking cancel quidditch Evans." Sirius retorted. Lily slid further along the bench away from him and looked down into her bowl of cereal.

"Oi! I don't know who shoved their wand so far up your arse but if you could pull it out sometime soon that'd be great thanks." Marlene hissed at him.

"Oh really McKinnon? You don't know who shoved their…"

"Enough already!" Lily cried. "You stop being a prick because you're in a huff." She pointed at Sirius and turned to Marlene. "And you stop being a cow. I can stand up for myself thank you. For Merlin's sake just take it out on the Slytherin's and not me"

It was true Professor McGonagall did not cancel the game. However, her and Professor Flitwick did go down to the pitch ahead of all the other staff and students to cast umbrella charms and transfigure covers over the stands to prevent spectators from getting too saturated if they still wished to watch the game. Despite the vile weather the spectators' stands were still filled with students not wanting to miss the often soul crushing first match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Even Lily had decided to sit with Marlene, Alice, Remus and Peter to watch the game. Not that Lily had never attended a quidditch match before. But Sirius had never seen her show up during weather as hideous as today's.

The first hour of the game was sloppy with both teams only scoring 30 points apiece. The wind that had now swept in with the rain was making it hard for staying on brooms let alone effecting the visibility out there. Sirius was struggling to not slip off the end of his broom every time he hit a bludger in Slytherin's direction. The quaffle had been dropped more times than anyone cared to count. The job of seeker certainly wasn't envied today. Gryffindor managed to make a gain on Slytherin over the next hour and a half leading 80-30. Soaked to the bone and teeth chattering everyone was wishing that someone would catch the blasted snitch already. Students had been flowing steadily away from the pitch as the game rolled on.

"For fucks sakes will someone stop the snitch already!" Sirius heard James growl, their keeper once again narrowly saved a goal from a Slytherin Chaser. Right on cue the Gryffindor seeker Robert took a nose dive towards the ground.

"Blimey at last! It looks like Gryffindor has finally spotted the snitch!" The commentator's voice boomed over the ground. Sirius squinted to see if he could see the little golden ball for himself but saw no sign. The Slytherin's seeker seemed to be following their player down towards the ground. Then at last minute Robert shot dramatically to the left rather than down and was making a bee-line across the pitch.

"I don't believe it! Young Robert Conrad has feigned diving for the snitch in order to put Slytherin Seeker Vain of the snitch which is really across the field! Go you little bugger go!"

Sirius grinned at the cockiness of their player. That wasn't a strategy James had implemented during their training at all. But it had allowed for the entire Slytherin team to become distracted. James was pelting down field with no opposition attempting to defend their own goal. The quaffle soared through the left hand hoop before they knew what hit them.

"Goal to Gryffindor scored by Captain James Potter! Gryffindor still in the lead 90-30. Slytherin needs to make a speedy recovery and catch that snitch or it's all over for them."

But it was too late. The Slytherin seeker had realised he'd been befuddled too little too late. Robert clapped his little fist around the snitch and shook it joyfully in the air. The crowd of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff an Ravenclaw erupted into tremendous applause, whooping and hollering while the Slytherin crowd booed as the players all hit the ground. People were rushing left right and centre to pat the fourth year who'd caught the snitch on the back. Sirius was so caught up in the celebration he'd forgotten what he'd gotten so wound up over in the first place. Congratulating his team mate along with everyone else. Lily brought him out of his reverie by tugging down on his sleeve.

"Evans! For pity's sake you're soaked. Get in the castle before Prongs sees you and has kittens"

"I'm on my way up I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to walk Remus to the hospital wing."

"Huh?" Sirius feigned naivety.

"His 'furry-little problem' as you call it as well as the weather has taken it out of him the poor bastard." She replied quietly.

"You know about that?" Sirius was shocked. As far as he was aware only the marauders and Snape knew of Remus's condition in terms of the student body.

"I've been a prefect with him for over a year Sirius. Plus, I'm not bloody thick. I'll see you at the party yeah?"

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius waited until everyone else had vacated the changing rooms before he confronted James over what he had discovered. James was still in the shower so Sirius spoke with him through the curtain. "Oi Prongs. Did you know Evans knew about Moony?"

"You what?" Clearly not, James's had been as clueless as him. "You heard. Evans already knows." James stuck his shampoo covered head out from behind the curtain.

"And she isn't bothered?"

"Not in the slightest" James nodded his head processing this information. "Well that's good. It'll make explaining the animagus thing to her easier" He disappeared behind the curtain again and began singing the lyrics to a Weird Sister's song.

"What are you on about Prongs?"

"Well I figured I gonna have to tell her at some point. If she's all good about Moony having furry tendencies she hopefully won't have a problem with mine. It's hardly gonna be something I can keep secret from her if she says yes."

"Says yes to what you oaf?" Sirius questioned.

"Well we've been getting on really well the last few months so I thought I'd try my luck with asking her to be my date to Hogsmeade in a couple of weeks. See where it goes from there" he sang happily, whistling as he shut the water off. Sirius face fell.

"Prongs don't do that. It's a really bad idea. Terribly actually" James stepped out with a towel around his waist and his glasses on, but they were already beginning to fog up.

"Why's it a bad idea? I thought you'd be happy for me?" James was starting to sound bitter.

"Don't take it like that. Of course I'd be happy for you if you and Evans started dating. But I just don't think asking her right now is really the best idea. I've been hanging out with her a bit to try and wing man for you and she mentioned in passing having broken up with a real crummy ex earlier this year. I just don't think she's ready yet you know what I mean? I wouldn't want you to come off like a re-bound mate." Sirius tried to explain hastily. "Just don't let on that you know that. She told me in confidence about it since he'd been a bit of a secret and all that."

"Oh… well I guess that makes sense." James replied still disheartened. "That's not to say you can't ask her mate. Just not right now. Maybe give it til after the new year and see how it goes yeah?"

"Yeah I guess you're right. Thanks Pads. I very nearly put my foot in it."

"Any time brother"


	6. Snow On The Track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: The first game of the quidditch season kicks off with Slytherin vs Gryffindor. Remus has to undergo a full moon by himself. Sirius attempts to stop James from asking out Lily knowing what he does.

The hard feelings between Sirius and Marlene for whatever reason faded after his birthday party and their prior relationship with one another slipped back into play as though it hadn't been interrupted. But they still hadn't gone back to the room of requirement since. November turned into December and with it came the snow. Sirius watched vacantly out of the astronomy tower windows during class as flakes fell blissfully to the ground. He felt a hand slip cautiously up his thigh and place something in his pocket. He glanced to his right and saw Marlene smiling playfully at him. What was the little minx up to now? He delved his hand into his pocket and retrieved the scrap of parchment she had left there.

See you after Hogsmeade on Saturday where this whole thing began ;)

Marls

He grinned.

* * *

* * *

 

"Hey, how is everyone this fine Saturday morning?" Sirius asked happily as he sat down to breakfast with Lily, Marlene and the marauders.

He just couldn't wipe the grin off his face, even the bitter cold thanks to the snow outside couldn't keep him down. Today wasn't just an excursion into Hogsmeade and a chance to stock up on liquor for their Christmas shindig. It marked another evening spent with Marlene and they were going back to where it all started. That cosy little broom cupboard on the third floor. His companions however didn't seem to be as enthusiastic about the day as he was. To them this was just a miserable winter's day, one that they would have to face if they had any chance of getting their Christmas shopping sorted. Peter snuffled and kept wiping his nose against his sleeve while eating his breakfast. Remus was attempting to keep himself awake, stirring his cornflakes absentmindedly with his spoon. James was in the middle of a conversation with Lily. And Marlene was resting her head of the table yawning softly. "You're in a good mood this morning Padfoot" Lily laughed.

"Well of course I am little red. Christmas is on the way. So far the Slytherin's have left us alone and you and Prongs, touch wood, have not yet had an argument" He replied heartily slapping the solid table. "I could damn well call it a Christmas miracle."

"You're too cheerful if you ask me Black" Marlene yawned casually winking at him. "Well Miss I'm too cheerful maybe I won't be buying you a present at this rate!" He stuck his tongue out at her.

"So how's this going to work then? We can all go into Hogsmeade together if we're going to be buying each other presents" Peter croaked. His voice was hoarse, he sniffed again. "Wormtail mate it might be a better idea if you stay in the castle. You're sick enough as it is" Remus pointed out. "Just tell us what you were going to get and we'll sort your presents out."

"You sure?" He coughed. "Course. Why don't you head on over to the hospital wing and see Madame Pomfrey then go get some sleep huh?" Lily suggested. "If you ask one of the second years' girls nicely I've got a stash of pepper up potion under by bed if you want it for later." Peter nodded.

"Yeah I might just go do that. Cheers guys" He wrote his list on two separate napkins. He gave one to James and one to Remus before leaving the great hall with his shoulders hunched over.

"Well there goes my pairs shopping plan." Sirius sighed "Oh well"

"Pairs plan? What plan?" James asked him bemused. "Well I figured we could pair up. You and Lily dearest, Marlene and myself and Remus with Wormtail. That way it makes buying girly presents easier."

"How does me being paired with Wormtail make 'girly' presents easier Padfoot?" Remus chuckled. "I think you missed a fatal flaw"

"No I didn't. You just have to turn to your romantic feministic side. You already know what to get a bloody girl, you and Evans already got along pretty well. Whereas Ol' Prongs and I are completely clueless and need guidance. That and in pairs you can have a look out. Oh well. A three and a two it is. Take your pick Moony which one of us do you love more?"

"Well I'm not about to pick favourites so I'll just go by myself. But good luck. Meet at the three broom sticks around one?" Remus laughed.

"You bet ya. And Prongs me and you swap partners at half twelve so they don't know what we're getting them" He winked at Lily "Can't spoil the surprise now."

"You seem to have this all very thought out" Lily commented sipping her tea with a smile creeping up on her face. "When am I ever not well thought out Lily dear?" He asked. She laughed and spat a mouthful of tea back into her mug.

"That would be never Pads" James agreed amused.

"Ye of little faith. Come on Mckinnon lets bounce, we have Christmas shopping to do" He countered. Climbing out of his seat and offering Marlene his arm cockily. She rolled her eyes at him and stuck another piece of toast in her mouth before looping her arm through his, humouring him. They sauntered out of the great hall together and made their way out towards Hogsmeade. A harsh southerly wind was churning up the snow in the air. Marlene leaned in closer to him to shield herself from the cold. Sirius cast an umbrella charm over them to keep the wetness off. Their feet sloshed through the mussy snow and grass mixture the grounds had turned into. Filch was waiting at the gate with Hagrid, pink umbrella in hand. Filch snarled at them as they passed through the gates and into the village. It was fairly quiet, with not many people around battling the elements along with them. They headed in the direction of the quidditch supply store first to buy James's presents.

Sirius bought him a new broom servicing kit with extra handle polish, while Marlene opted for buying him a year's subscription to the magazine Quidditch Talk. Next up after that was McClouds for Remus, where Sirius was absolutely hopeless. He needed presents for both Remus and Lily and didn't even know where to start. So he opted for letting Marlene pick for him. She picked out a copy of Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration for Lily and a copy of twelve fail safe ways to charm witches for Remus on his behalf. Then choosing to buy Remus a new dragon skin book mark from herself.

"Aren't you going to get something for Lily?" Sirius questioned as he handed his galleons over to the shop keeper. "I'm going to buy her a new fwooper quill and a packet of sugar quills. She constantly meddles with her current one and it's falling to pieces."

"Ah you're going for the practical present approach" He smiled. The last person on their list was Peter. "Would it be mean if I just bought him a never ending box of tissues?" Sirius teased.

"Yes. Yes, it would be Black" She laughed.

Together they bought the biggest possible sweet stash from Honey dukes. No doubt Peter would be pleased with his present. Sirius checked his watch, it was getting close to half twelve. He found himself frowning. He was enjoying Marlene's company and was feeling relaxed, it was great to just be in public with her and not having to worry about people wondering about them or spreading rumours. The Hogwarts rumour mill could be vicious. But at the same time he really wanted to get to James and Lily so Lily could help him pick out something nice for her.

"Over here!" Lily's voice called out to them. They were seated on a bench under cover by the three broom sticks. Steaming cups of drink between them. "We ordered you guy's hot chocolates to go. Get everything?" She queried.

"Yes indeedy, just dear Marley here left to go. Ready to make a move Evans?" Sirius responded quick as a flash. "Sure, see you two in half hour" Lily gave James a short hug as she left with Sirius. Sirius noticed this fact and gave her a little nudge once they were out of the sight of the other pair. She blushed and pushed him back. She pulled her woolly hat further over her ears and followed Sirius into a jewellery store.

"Going all out this year Pads?" She implored.

"Nothing but the best for my friends Lily dear now help me pick out something nice."

"Well what about this?" She asked him, pointing to a necklace in a glass cabinet. Sirius moved over and gazed down into the cabinet. It was a sterling silver cubic zirconia snowflake pendant on fine sterling silver box necklace chain. It was simplistic and perfect in every way for Marlene. Sirius grinned and called the shop keeper to open up the cabinet so he could purchase it.

"So what you going to get Prongs for Christmas?"

"Well I was thinking something quidditch related, then I realised he pretty much has everything, he doesn't like books that much. Oh I just don't know. What about a nice watch?" She strolled over to the watch cabinets. "Or maybe not" She blushed.

"What's wrong?"

"Sirius there's no way I can afford anything in here" She whispered hurriedly. The embarrassment showing on her face. "I can get it Lils."

"No! No, No Sirius it's fine I'll just have to think of something else"

"Don't be ridiculous. Tell you what, you pick out a watch I'll buy it and you can pay to get it engraved. Deal?" He raised his eye brow at her. She nodded reluctantly and picked out a gold dial brown leather strap watch. "Think he'll like it?"

"Definitely as it's from you. What you going to engrave on it?"

"You'll see at Christmas" She teased and scribbled the inscription down on some parchment for the store owner. The man behind the counter smiled and hurried off to complete the engraving. He returned a few minutes later with the watch in a small wooden box. He thanked them for their custom and waved as they left the store. All in all, to Sirius it was a day of accomplishment. With only thing left on his agenda. A heated evening with Marlene in that broom cupboard. His heart strings twitch at the thought… among other things.

* * *

* * *

 

"So Black. Are you not going to tell me what you got me for Christmas?" Marlene whispered in his ear as they made their way to the broom cupboard together.

The corridors of Hogwarts were very quiet this evening, after the harsh day's weather in Hogsmeade everyone was wrapped up warmly in their respective common rooms. Not that Sirius minded that at all. In fact, it gave him a reason to attempt to be cheeky. "Oh my dearest McKinnon I wouldn't dare. Christmas is for surprises you know" He winked and kissed her hand.

Marlene swatted him away playfully and stuck her tongue out at him. This was the one situation where Sirius could take charge for a change, it was refreshing and exciting. He'd been looking forward to this broom cupboard escapade all day. The butterflies in his stomach churned and his heart was racing. He was impatient as ever to get to the broom cupboard and be able to snog this girl absolutely senseless. But alas he knew if he rushed things they were even less likely to go his way. It was better to take his time and just enjoy Marlene's company, as frustrating as it was becoming. She had changed since they had returned to the castle. No longer clad in multiple layers of warm clothing, she now wore a slimming, red long sleeved shirt and a pleated tartan skirt that reached just above her knees. Her black socks just barely reached the hem line. As always Marlene had a flare for dressing as she pleased for comfort but still pulled of an air of sexy. Sirius couldn't tell but he was sure she was walking especially slowly. At last they reached the third floor and their blessed broom cupboard. However, as he reached for the handle Sirius found himself to be blissfully disappointed.

"Some one's already beaten us to it." He grumbled, hearing the shuffling from inside and someone knocking over a mop bucket.

"Well I guess we'll just have to have this session out here then won't we?" Marlene replied cheekily and started working kisses along his neck.

"We could be spotted in a flash McKinnon and I was kinda hoping there would be more than snogging this evening if I'm honest" He admitted unashamed.

"Who says there still won't be?" She winked and started to undo the top button on his trousers.

"McKinnon!" Sirius breathed. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. The idea of fondling McKinnon in a deserted corridor sure was appealing and the chances of getting caught were kind of a turn on but he knew ultimately it was a bad idea.

"Look let's find somewhere else ae?" He asked. But Marlene wasn't listening to him. Instead she was busy kissing a trail down his body. Landing on her knees in front of him, continuing to undo and unzip his pants. Sirius was close to giving in and leaned back against the door or the broom cupboard when he heard the noises from within it come to a stop.

"Shit McKinnon whoever is in there is coming out!" he hissed. He quickly lifted her off her knees and over his shoulder. Sprinting to the end of the corridor with a startled and giggling Marlene. Once they rounded the corridor he set her down again.

"Well Black I must say you certainly do know how to sweep a girl off her feet" She laughed and kissed his cheek heartily.

"Well we did need to move and rather quickly so…"

"So… let's go find somewhere to finish what we started shall we?" She smirked.

"Gladly. Shall we try the next floor up malady?" By now Sirius and Marlene were too far away to hear the two people leave the broom cupboard and if they had they would have been in for a bit of a shock. And not in a good way.

"For Merlin's sake Pettigrew you need to learn to not be so fucking clumsy!" Snape hissed "These meetings are supposed to be discreet"

"I'm sorry but it was kind of dark!" He squeaked back at the Slytherin, trying to dislodge the bucket that had become stuck around his foot. "Just make sure you continue to keep us informed of the goings on Wormtail." He sneered using the marauders nickname. "Prove yourself to continue to be useful and the dark lord may very well have a safe place for you among his ranks." The greasy haired boy then removed the bucket from Peter's foot with a simple flick of his wand.

"Yes…yes Sir" He replied. The pair then moved on in their separate ways, neither knowing that Sirius and Marlene had been outside the cupboard moments before and could have easily over heard them talking. But unfortunately for Sirius and Marlene, they had not.

Sirius and Marlene did indeed manage to find themselves an empty broom cupboard on the next floor up and were back to where they had previously been in no time. Sirius was experiencing pure ecstasy. Marlene was on her knees in front of him, teasing him through his underwear, his trousers already around his ankles and his hands running through her lovely long blonde hair. His head rolled back and leant against the wall of the cupboard and she shuffled his underwear down to join his pants.

She started slow by grazing her mouth against him as she continued moving her hand up and down his shaft. With a tight grip on the base of his shaft suddenly she wrapped her mouth around him so her lips met her fist, and moved both her mouth and hand in a rhythmic motion. Sirius let out a groan from the base of his throat. Marlene flicked the tip of his head with the tip of her tongue, and circled it slowly, stopping each time she hit this pleasure spot and he moaned. He didn't dare look at her for the fear of tipping himself over the edge so soon, but that didn't stop her from trying to drive him crazy. Gently she glided the surface of her teeth along his shaft, trailing it with her tongue, it was heaven. It was as though she was getting so much pleasure out of winding him up and pleasuring him, and Sirius wasn't complaining. This was by far the best blow job he'd experienced.

Other witches had been too rough or slobbery and a few times painful and they attempted to do what Marlene was doing. Yes, he could quite happily live with the kind of attention he was receiving. He dared dart his eyes down on her for a second and decided it was much hotter to watch her work. Seeing he was watching she winked cheekily at him and hummed against him. Sirius smiled. She moaned against him and it was almost too much to take. He removed himself from her mouth and grabbed her, lifting her to her feet and kissed her neck and ran his hands down and under her skirt.

"I thought you were enjoying that Black?" She panted in his ear.

"Oh I was, you can go back to that in a minute love. But first I just want to feel how wet you are…" He cooed back, slipping his fingers over her panties which were indeed soaked. He grinned at the thought of flipping them over and entering right then and there. But he knew better. Instead he slipped his fingers inside her and kissed and sucked on her neck. She sighed softly.

"Sirius…" She breathed. "You know the rules. So I'm warning you now stop it or I won't continue."

Sirius paused, that didn't sound very appealing.

"Come on, not even one little orgasm for me?" He tickled her.

"Not even one…" She panted.

"Merlin's pants woman you have some self-control" He huffed and removed his fingers. She dropped back down on her knees and continued her previous work. "And you clearly have very little" She replied huskily kissing down his shaft.

"What can I say you do things to me" He moaned.

Sirius didn't manage to contain himself for much longer and was surprised to find out that Marlene was willing to swallow. I mean he'd given her the option of stopping, he'd practically begged her but she'd ignored him and continued anyway. Hell she even grinned at him after and licked her lips. She stood and straightened her skirt and shirt and dared to kiss him on the cheek. "How was that hot shot?" She smiled, leaning against the opposite wall of the cupboard while Sirius straightened himself out.

"Not bad McKinnon, where'd you learn to do that?" He huffed amazed. "That's for me to know. Anyway I have another proposition for you"

"Oh? Such as?" He questioned, raising an eye brow as he re-zipped his jeans. "I have an idea for the famous marauders Christmas party, a way to make it a little more interesting. In fact, Lily helped inspire it."

"Uh huh I'm listening." He cooed at her.

"Well she was telling me all these cool stories about her parents from when they were younger right? And well she told me this one where at school they held a fundraiser and one of the activities they did was Bikini jelly wrestling."

"Okay now you have my full undivided attention."

"So I was thinking we could host a jelly wrestling competition. Last person standing wins a bottle of fire whiskey courtesy of moi. One it's an awesome idea and two I have plans to get James against Lily in the ring… she'll practically be re-living her parents love story. It'll be wicked."

"You got yourself a deal McKinnon. Don't worry the marauders have it covered."

"I look forward to it. See you later Black" And with that she slipped out of the broom cupboard.

* * *

* * *

 

Christmas would have to be Sirius's second favourite holiday of the year, closely following Halloween. This year was not to be an exception, it was Christmas Eve and the infamous marauder Christmas party preparations were well underway. The whole of Gryffindor tower was filled with excited chatter about the night's festivities this year, in particular the new event that the marauders had added: jelly-pit wrestling. None were more excited than Lily, who had 'borrowed' a spare cauldron from Professor Slughorn in order to create the jelly-like mixture that would be filling a large paddling pool. Of course Professor Slughorn had no idea that this was what his cauldron was being used for in the girl's dormitories. Sirius watching with amusement as James tried to blow up the paddling pool without magic to prove to Lily that he could. He was red in the face and his glasses were already starting to slide off his nose when the pool wasn't even inflated a quarter of what it needed to be. He gave a chuckled as Lily criticised James's technique as she came down the stairs levitating the heavy cauldron of jelly. Peter and Remus were busy hanging streamers, popcorn trails and tinsel, while Sirius had what he considered to be the most important job to complete within the hour: The punch.

There had never been a marauders Christmas party without alcoholic punch and this year it was Sirius's job to give it a little kick. And by a little kick he meant an entire bottle of high alcohol content liquor he had stored under his bed for the past two years. This punch would give anyone who drank it a hang-over to remember he was sure. As he stirred the clear liquid through the pre-made punch he searched the room for Marlene who he hadn't seen since lunch and it was now almost dinner. He wondered where she could possibly be with so little time left to prep, after dinner this party would be expected to commence and be in full swing. His unasked question was soon answered as she walked through the portrait hole with several trays of iced Christmas cookies.

"You can't leave your drunk patrons without snacks!" She yelled setting them on the table beside Sirius. The other members of the group nodded in agreement and returned to their work. Leaving the following interaction between Sirius and Marlene unnoticed.

"Fancy something sweet this evening Black? It is only Christmas after all" She flirted, giving him a cookie to bite into, which he did happily.

"You know I never say no McKinnon." He replied huskily.

"Well then, I happen to know for a fact that Alice and Frank finish their patrol of the castle at midnight, then Filch will be taking over. He always starts at Gryffindor tower, so I say we sneak off to our little hidey hole around 1am" She told him, referring to the room of requirement. Sirius liked that idea as the room of requirement was always a great thing for him and Marlene seemed to be in a rare giving mood due to the holidays.

"Agreed. I'll meet you there." He told her, taking the cookie from her hand, brushing his fingertips against hers as he did so.

Sirius absent mindedly found himself doing more of these romantic gestures towards Marlene lately. He subtly wanted to let her know that she wasn't just some skirt to him, despite their deal and the fact that they weren't exclusive. He hadn't had a date at all so far since his partnership with Marlene had started. Not that anyone noticed this with the rumour mill still coming up with girls he had bagged or bedded almost every week. He had no need to make up a cover when the other more desperate Hogwarts girls were doing a splendid job for him in that department anyway. Marlene had gone on a few dates Sirius noted but none of them were serious. He felt a twinge of jealousy whenever he saw her around the castle with another guy, but until he told Marlene how he was starting to feel about her he wasn't exactly doing himself any favours. But he had made up his mind about when he was going to tell her and his plan was stark raving mad.

He would wait until James and Lily were together, and when Marlene went to seal their deal in offering him the sex he so desperately desired… he would turn her down. Yes, as mad as that sounded in his head he was going to turn down sex with the girl he'd dreamed of doing nothing more with. He would tell her that he had no intention of sleeping with her unless she genuinely wanted to because she liked him, not because of the pact that they had made. Then he would ask her to be his girlfriend, a constant thing and most of all publicly claim her as his sole interest. There would be no other girl's chasing his tail. He would just have to pray and hope that Marlene accepted him for what and who he was and ignore the backlash that the Hogwarts rumour mill would throw. But of course, all of this was still quite a long way off and he could wait.

It seemed the whole castle was in a brilliant mood this evening over the feast. Even the few teachers who remained over the holiday break seemed to be having a good time. If Sirius didn't know any better, he would have said that McGonagall had had a little too much sherry. Sirius happily stuffed his face with as much turkey he could muster before moving onto the glorious Christmas pudding that the house elves had prepared. They had gone all out this year considering how many students had actually stayed behind for the holidays. Sirius had every heart to invite the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs to the marauder party considering how low their number were, but the risk of them all getting to and from their dorms in an intoxicated state was too much to risk. Sirius suspected that Minerva McGonagall knew all too well what her house got up to every year during the holidays, but was willing to turn a blind eye so long as it never got out of hand and for that the marauders were grateful and were not about to abuse that privilege anytime soon.

Sirius wasn't sure what he was more excited about, the upcoming jelly wrestling battle between the members of his house including himself, or the prospects of what the wee morning hours would bring him in the form of the stunning Marlene McKinnon. Whom currently was paying absolutely no attention to him and was instead locked in an intense battle with Frank Longbottom as to who would be taking out the bottle of fire whiskey Marlene had begrudgingly put up for grabs out of her own pocket. There would be several rounds for those who just wanted a laugh and give it a go and then there would be the serious competitors. Girls' vs girls' followed by boys' vs boys', the final winner of each going into a head to head for the trophy. All they had to do was make sure that Lily and James definitely ended up in a friendly match against one another, as this wasn't the sort of competition they could rig.

"Well personally my money McKinnon is on Black, he's build solid for a beater. No one's taking him down easily." Frank said, jutting his thumb at Sirius as he had now joined interest in the conversation.

"Size means nothing in this game Frank. It's luck and wit as to who wins right Lils?" Marlene called out to Lily who was further along the table. She nodded through a mouthful of Christmas pudding "See?"

"Well we'll just have to wait and see. Alice and I start patrol at 10:30 and I want to watch this so the comp has to be over by then. And the mess cleaned up."

"I'm sure we can manage that" Sirius agreed with him. It could become a bit disastrous with drunks and a slippery floor. The game would have to be over by 10:30, then people could drink and snog under the missile-toe to their hearts content.

By the time a stuffed Sirius managed to work his way up the staircase and to the dormitories in Gryffindor tower there was already a match taking place in the pool with more than half the house standing around cheering in either swim suits or shorts. Sirius laughed when he saw who the fight was between. Both Peter and Remus were in the pool still fully clothed and soaked trying to force one another out of the pool, grins plastered to both their faces. Sirius joined the crowd cheering, whooping and hollering and Remus finally succeeded as Peter came off balance and fell out of the pool. Remus waved his fists above his head in victory.

"And that's how the game works folks! The objective is to get your opponent out of the pool by any means necessary, however it goes without saying that this is all in the name of fun and nothing that could seriously injure the other person will be tolerated clear? Right, let the friendlies begin!" Marlene announced, stood on the coffee table overlooking the pool itself, dressed in nothing but a blue bikini. It made Sirius's mouth water just looking at her.

Since the prize up for grabs was her own Marlene wasn't allowed to take part in the competition itself and thus had agreed to commentate the whole affair. What Sirius hadn't counted on was that she would actually take part in the first set of friendlies up against both Alice and then Lily, the latter of whom beat her miserably. Having clearly had more experienced Sirius wasn't surprised when Lily actually took out all the girls and claimed her place in the final for the competition. However, his heart sunk a little as she hadn't faced James in any of her friendlies, but had faced Peter instead. But it seemed that she had had fun and was now Sirius on as he battled Remus for the position in the final game. If he won, then the last opponent would be James and he would have to let his pal win in order to face Lily in the final.

Sirius slipped and slid around on the balls of his feet in the pool, trying to get an advantage over Remus who was beginning to tire. It was over in a matter of seconds as Sirius swiped his foot out from under him, sending him down into the jelly where he subsequently rolled his dripping friend out of the pool. Laughing hysterically as he did so. Remus laughed and patted his back to congratulate him as James stepped into the ring. This was it, the plan may just work out after all. All he had to do was let James win without letting him know that he had done so.

"Alright boys take your marks… This is to get into the final match against Lily. The winner of which will earn a bottle of 1942 fire whisky courteousy of moi. Now that shit was expensive so make it a good semi-final…. FIGHT!" Marlene called out over the roar of Gryffindor's who surrounded the pit. All of whom were covered from head to toe in the jelly mixture, draped up in towels too excited by subsequent matches to have gone and got changed just yet.

Sirius had to admit that James was definitely a strong competitor despite his scrawny appearance. Each boy locked their hands on the other's shoulders, pushing and pulling trying to dislodge their opponent. Perhaps I won't have to fake it after all Sirius thought panting as James tussled with him for the title. He was knackered already and James seemed determined to end up in that pool with Lily and honestly Sirius didn't blame him. He couldn't lie Lily Evans certainly looked attractive in her little black bikini number. After a few more serious tussles Sirius caved and let James push him out of the pool and onto the floor of the Gryffindor common room flat on his back side. Marlene jumped down into the pool announcing James and the winner, lifting his arm above their heads as the crowd thundered with cheers.

Finally, Sirius could watch his and Marlene's master plan take place as Lily climbed into the pool to face James for the whiskey. He laughed, whistled and cheered along with the other Gryffindor's as the pair began to intensely wrestle, both clearly putting up a fight for the finish. The grit determination plastered to both of their faces, through their own joyous laughter.

"Kick his arse Lily!" Sirius supported, clapping as she pushed James further to the edge, only to be slid back into the centre of the mess. It made Sirius smile to see two of his best friends so happy. He barely even noticed when Marlene ended up cheering beside him. She turned to him and smiled wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Finally, with sheer luck and brute force Lily forced James up and out of the pool.

"And the winner of the fire whiskey is… Lily Evans!" Marlene bellowed, handing over the precious prize to the winner who looked very pleased with herself.

"Better luck next time Potter" Lily joked sticking her tongue out at him.

"I have a few ideas about what I want you to do with your tongue." Marlene hissed in Sirius's ear as she slipped past him casting charms to clear up the mess as the other Gryffindor's departed the common room to change.

"I bet you do" Sirius winked at her, ascending the stairs to the boy's dormitories to change.

* * *

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Marlene was a bit more intoxicated closer to midnight than Sirius would have liked, perhaps it would have been wise to have warned her about the contents of the punch. While currently she was happy as Larry dancing on top of the coffee table with Remus she was starting to boarder on legless drunk. He'd have to get her down before she bloody ended up hurting herself or someone else. He dodged past a few more intoxicated patrons to tap Remus on the back. He turned towards him and Sirius gestured to him to help him get Marlene down. Remus picked Marlene up by the waist and handed her over to Sirius, much to her protest.

"Oi Black… what you thunk uo doin'?" She slurred as he dragged her away from the table and out of the crowd.

"I think I'm stopping you from ending up on your arse McKinnon, you can thank me later. Now sit" He chuckled at her, sitting her in an armchair at the edge of the common room. At this rate their plans for the room of requirement were probably cancelled unless he could get her to sober up a little. "I'm going to go grab something from my dorm, just hold up okay. Stay here"

He left her unattended to ascend the stairs to the boy's dorm. Sirius was always well prepared when it came to dealing with these kind of situations, although it was usually James or Peter he was sobering up and on the odd occasion when he got too plastered himself it'd be Remus sorting him out. He popped open his trunk at the base of the bed and rummaged through trying to find the right potion that was rattling around in the bottom. Really he should of thought to get this out earlier when he got the hang over cure potion and placed it on his bedside table, ah hindsight was a great thing. He knew it was in here somewhere. He was still rummaging when delicate hands slipped under the back of his shirt and touch his skin. It made him jump and hit his head on the base of the four poster bed in front of him. Whipping around he realised it was Marlene, he relaxed but was slightly annoyed, he'd told her to stay put.

"Found you." She giggled, shifting her hands around under his shirt to his stomach and down to his trousers.

"What are you doing McKinnon?" He laughed continuing his search for a potion to sober her up.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" She whispered drunkenly but huskily in his ear, biting down on it roughly.

Sirius closed his eyes momentarily letting out a short sigh and abandoning his search. He shook his head and pulled himself together, Marlene was intoxicated and in no state for him to make advances on her no matter how much he may want to at this time. He tried to shrug her off but Marlene wasn't having any of it. She bit his ear lightly this time tugging it between her teeth towards her then moved on to kissing and sucking on his neck. It was making Sirius become aroused and she was well aware of it, moving her hands down to his crotch, stroking him through his trousers. Sirius stopped his search to confront her, to hell with it.

"Oi you, cut it out."

"Why don't you want me?" She pouted. "Got another skirt on your mind have you?"

"No but you are quite sloshed and I don't want to be accused of taking advantage of you" He laughed at the very idea that Marlene was getting jealous.

"You aren't taking advantage. I've changed my mind I don't want to go to the room of requirement I want you here." She dropped to her knees and started to undo his trousers.

"Marlene…" Sirius protested trying to remove her hands, put she seemed pretty intent on getting his clothes off.

"Sirius I want this. Stop it" She told him crossly and she finally undid them and shimmied them down along with his boxers.

She took him in her hand and placed her mouth over the tip. She gave him a teasing lick that dissolved any other protest that was forming in his throat, instead he released a sensual moan from deep down and grasped the bed post for support. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad idea after all, he was rather beginning to enjoy himself. He sat on the end of his four poster, with her head still in his lap working him. Knowing that he could push his luck a little he ran his hand over her head and slid his fingers through her hair taking hold gently but firmly at the back pulling it all into a messy bun so he could watch her work better. Even drunk Marlene still gave the best head he'd even received, though he was more nervous now about her using her teeth on him. He let out another low moan from the back of his throat as she took him deeper. He could feel it as the muscles in his cock began to tense as well as those in his thighs. If she kept this up, he wouldn't be lasting much longer.

It was lucky that in his ecstasy Sirius heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He tried to pull Marlene off of him but was met with protest as she didn't understand why she was being asked to stop. Not knowing what else to do as the footsteps came closer and Marlene still wasn't budging, he grabbed a blanket from behind him on the bed and through it over her. Just as James entered the room.

"Woah…Sorry pads" He apologised profusely and embarrassed. He backed out of the room quickly.

Sirius felt himself go hot with embarrassment, the last thing he wanted was for one of his best mates to catch him in such a compromised position, but at the same time it was kinda hot that Marlene had continued to suck and pleasure him despite the rude interruption. He just hopped that James hadn't managed to pick up that it was Marlene beneath the covers. Now that the distraction was gone Sirius could focus solely on the pleasure that Marlene was inflicting on him. He wasn't going to last much longer and felt that he should let Marlene know. If anything this only made her speed up her motions, continuing to stroke him with her hand and work the head with her mouth and tongue. He moaned her name as he finally felt his release. With exhaustion Sirius collapsed backwards onto his bed, eyes fluttering close. Marlene crawled her way up his body and snuggled up beside him in the crook of his arm pit.

"Quite happy there are you McKinnon?" He asked her with his eyes still closed. He let out a yawn and could feel that sleep was calling out to him.

"Uh huh" She yawned pressing herself more firmly against him.

Sirius was now unsure as to what to do. He was very comfortable where he was and was certainly ready for bed, he'd love for Marlene to stay beside him in his own bed but on the other hand it would probably not be a good thing if they were caught sleeping together. Was this a risk either of them was ready and willing to take? So far their entire affair had been founded on secrecy and ulterior motives but had progressed (at least for Sirius) far beyond this point now. Besides the only people likely to find them in this now compromised position would be his friends and dorm-mates. Surely Sirius could ask Remus, Peter and James to respect his and Marlene's private matters. But then again who's to say that James or even Remus wouldn't accidentally mention something to Lily in passing expecting her to know being now one of Marlene's closest friends. No even with it only being his friends the news would be all over the castle in a matter of weeks, if that were to happen Sirius was sure that his plan to date Marlene later down the line would become null and void. As much as it pained him Sirius could not risk making his dearest friends his confidants, not yet. He nudged Marlene to try and convince her to return to her own room but soon realised that he had spent to long internally diagnosing the situation and she had promptly fallen asleep already. Bollocks.

Not wanting to disturb her especially as she was intoxicated and sleeping heavily Sirius would need a backup plan. He thanked Merlin that Hogwarts was a fan of four poster beds with hangings. He kicked his shoes off at the end of the bed and enclosed himself and Marlene in their little four poster cocoon before snuggling down beside her again. It was relaxing to him to watch Marlene sleep as she appeared so peaceful. The way her breathing caused her chest to heave and fall softly and slowly as well as the way her nose twitched and scrunched up a little as she experienced whatever it was she was dreaming about. Sirius loved these small moments because they were raw and real, there was no façade to them that allowed him to see Marlene for the beauty she really was. Sirius could certainly fall asleep and wake up happy knowing that she was there by his side so vulnerable and trusting in him. He didn't think that he could possibly have another relationship like this with another woman, Marlene McKinnon was truly a unique character and simply irreplaceable in his life. Although in the back of his mind Sirius was sheepishly aware he would have some apologizing to do to James for their shared antics that evening, while being sure to leave Marlene clean out of it.

Sirius woke to light filtering into his bed through the hangings surrounding it. In a matter of a split second he panicked realising that that meant people could see into his bed which meant that Marlene could be seen. He sat bolt upright and went to wake Marlene to discover that she wasn't in his bed where she had fallen asleep the night before. The second realisation that he made was that it was Christmas morning and he was the first person in the boys' dorm to be awake. A grin rose on his face and he leapt gleefully from his four poster making a b-line straight for James's. He dramatically pulled back the curtains to discover that he was not the only one to have had a bed time companion. Lily Evans was dozing peacefully against James bare chest, still wearing her clothing from the night before after the jelly wrestling competition. He stood still in shock, the curtain still clamped firmly in his hand watching the two of the still sleeping. Did he shut the curtain and back away? Or did he wake them up to open presents? He had no idea. He darted his vision around the room to see if anyone else was stirring. The answer was no. Merlin's beard what a predicament he'd found himself in, there was only one thing for it he'd have to go find Marlene and ask her what to do about it. Gently so as not to disturb them he closed the hangings around them once more. He padded softly over the floor to the door and made his way down into the common room.

Marlene was sat in an arm chair in the corner looking a little worse for wear. She clearly hadn't heard him as she was staring into the fireplace. He wondered how long she'd been here like this. She was still in her clothes from the night before so she clearly hadn't returned to her dorm.

"Morning sunshine" He called to alert her to his presence. She turned her head towards him and offered a faint smile. It was then that Sirius noticed a faint trail down one of her cheeks where it appeared tears had been. Had Marlene been down here crying by herself? Why? "What's up?" He asked her sitting on the arm of her chair and rubbing his thumb along the cheek where the tears had long dried.

"Huh? Oh I poked myself in the eye on a stray piece of tinsel when I came down the stairs. I didn't want to disturb Mary and Dorcas by going back into the dorm" She laughed then winced "Ouch my head. What was in that punch last night Black?"

"Probably better off not knowing" Sirius smirked. "So we have a predicament…." He continued. Marlene's eyes went wide.

"Were we seen?" She asked nervously.

"I don't think so" He replied. "But there is currently a sleeping Evans in James Potters bed, fully clothed mind you" Instantly she looked relieved.

"Oh I know I heard them come in together last night/ early hours of this morning. She claimed she didn't want to wake Mary and Dorcas and was going to sleep down here but James refused and said she could take his bed and he'd just sleep with Remus or Peter. But then she insisted that if she was taking his bed they may as well share. It was quite comical to listen to through the pounding of my head."

"Oh well now I'm wondering what to do about it. Do I wake them for presents or leave them be?" He asked her.

"I say wake them up. But just don't make a thing of them being in bed together" She suggested stifling a yawn.

It seemed apparent she wasn't making a thing of them being in bed together last night which slightly disheartened Sirius but he let it slide. He would get around to that at a later date when he hopefully got to ask her to go out with him. Instead of taking offense he went back upstairs to retrieve the marauders and Lily whom it appeared he wouldn't have to wake as the hangings were open and Remus was lying in bed having a conversation with Lily who was sat up in James's bed while he and Peter listened idly.

"It's all about maintaining your centre of gravity, that's how you win." She was explaining "Oh! Morning Sirius we thought you were still in bed" She said surprised as she noticed him enter the room, gesturing to the hangings around his bed which were still drawn.

"Why didn't you just wake me up then?" He asked taking a seat on his own bed.

"I wasn't sure if your uh… guest… was still here" James coughed sheepishly, the tips of his ears turning red with apparent embarrassment. Lily's eyes widened as she looked from James to Sirius and back.

"That's why you wouldn't let me wake him?" She looked both mortified and amused. James shrugged.

"She left last night" He lied the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

"Oh Marlene is gonna have a right laugh about that when I tell her" Lily laughed clearly amused by the whole situation. "Sirius Black had a girl in his own bed what a laugh" She giggled.

Sirius scratch his head awkwardly. "We gonna go downstairs and open presents or what?" That instantly had the group up out of bed and down the stairs to the common room where Marlene was now waiting beneath the tree.

"Merlin's beard it's about time you lot I've been down here for ages waiting for you lazy bums" She teased. The group gathered in a circle beneath the tree and exchanged their gifts with one another. All looking extremely pleased with the gifts they had so far received from their friends and relatives. "Open Lily's one next Prongs" Sirius suggested catching Lily's eye, she blushed.

James reached over and retrieved the gift in a little slender box marked from Lily. She had wrapped it in red paper with gold stars on it and a little golden bow to match. Excitedly he tore off the wrapping to the box underneath it. He read the store label on the box and looked at Lily quizzically. Gently he shuffled the box open to reveal the watch underneath. He smiled broadly taking it out of the box to put it on his wrist. "Jezz Evans it's great thanks" He told her sincerely the grin still etched on his face.

"Turn it over" She told him. He obliged turning it over to see that there was an inscription engraved, the group watched anxiously as he scanned his eyes over the engraving and let out a cheeky laugh.

"Very funny Evans. 'Our Friendship is Timeless'" He read aloud and showed off the inscription.

"You are most welcome. Come on Marlene your turn, what did Sirius get you?" She winked.

Oh I see how this is being played Evans

Marlene smiled and happily tore the wrapping from her gift and opened the little jewellery box. Time seemed to stand still and Sirius felt his heart in his throat. Did she like it? Did she not like it? Her expression was hard to read. "Oh Sirius you shouldn't have" She whispered as she took the necklace out of the box and fastened it around her neck.

"Ah it was no biggie" He replied trying to shake off how much of a big deal it really did feel like. "It's beautiful thank you. Here this is for you" She said handing over his present.

It was an envelope which confused him. Had she really only gotten him a card? Again for the second time that morning he was left feeling disheartened and now slightly stupid. He tried to wipe the disappointment from his face as he took it from her and opened it. He shook the contents out to find a note and a photograph.

Merry Christmas, love Marls.

Sirius looked at the photograph to see a picture of a motor bike with a side car attached to it? "A picture of a bike?" He asked.

"Well I couldn't jolly well have the Potters send it to Hogwarts could I? I bought you a side car you dolt that way next time you decide to go off on one of your whirlwind adventures you can actually take someone with you. You'd think he'd be able to recognise his own motor bike!" She laughed talking to the rest of the group. Once again Sirius felt stupid. Of course she'd gotten him a real gift, how could he ever think she wouldn't?

"Marls I really don't know what to say…" He replied in awe.

"A 'you get first dibs on a ride' would be nice" She joked.

"Of course"


	7. Bells Whistling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: The marauders, minus Peter who appears to be ill, and the girls Marlene and Lily go to Hogsmeade for the last trip of the year. Marlene and Sirius almost fall upon a secret meeting between Peter and Snape. James makes an awkward intrusion. Both girls spend christmas eve in the boys dorms after the party in the common room, and they all exchange presents.

Sirius couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he wanted James and Lily snuggle up next to each other in front of the fire all the time in the days after Christmas. For two people who claimed not to be a couple they seemed to be acting rather like one minus the usual public displays affection such as kissing. While it made him happy that the two were happy and getting closer it also made him rather glum. He wanted to be able to do that with Marlene. Cuddle up by the fire place with a mug of hot chocolate and just talk about whatever random shit they were thinking at the time in front of their friends. But he couldn't and unfortunately if James and Lily were getting closer and closer together that meant that he was also getting closer and closer to having to tell Marlene how he really felt about her. That fact alone was daunting in itself. His apparent sulking didn't go unnoticed it seemed as one-day Lily pulled Sirius aside as he left the portrait hole to go down to the kitchens.

"Hey Sirius can I talk to you?" She questioned him.

"Sure thing red what's up?" He quizzed.

"Have I done something to upset you?" She demanded. "Just you've been ever so down the last few days. It's New Year's Eve and you are usually pumped but now you're not. I'm not trying to replace you as James's best mate or anything I promise" She told him sincerely.

"I didn't think that Evans honestly I'm fine. I've just not been feeling myself lately" He consoled her, making sure that she should feel no blame for the way he was acting. "Well then is this about Marlene? Did you guys have a falling out?"

"No what makes you say that?" He asked her. "Um perhaps we should have this conversation somewhere more private" She suggested, flicking her head towards the portrait of the fat lady whom it appeared was eaves dropping on their conversation.

"Uh yeah. Listen I'm going down to the kitchens to grab a couple of mince pies. Come with?" He suggested. She followed diligently. They entered the kitchen and were inundated with the hospitality of the house elves who had a platter of mince pies under their noes within no time. They took a seat at a table with their pies and continued the conversation they'd been having up in Gryffindor tower. "So what makes you think that I've had a falling out with Marlene?"

"Um well… I know you slept with her at Christmas and that's when you started acting weird." She confessed. Sirius nearly spat half his mince pie across the table. "Excuse me?" He choked.

"I went upstairs into your dorm to grab my socks after we opened presents…. I couldn't find one so I was looking for it and I found a pair of her knickers under your bed. I haven't said anything to her about it of course. I didn't want to embarrass her about losing her V plates, but now I'm wondering if I should?"

"V plates?" Sirius was now confused. "What are V plates?" Lily once again looked uncomfortable and embarrassed. "You know… virginity… V plates? Is that just a muggle thing? Must be" She giggled to diffuse the awkward tension.

Sirius's brain went into over drive. Marlene was a bloody virgin? Seriously? Then why would she ever make that ridiculous bloody agreement with him if that would be the first time she was ever gonna have sex with someone? That wasn't right, she should experience her first time with someone she genuinely cared about and who cared about her (not that he didn't care about her of course but things were different when this whole thing started). Sirius suddenly thought about all the things he'd ever done to Marlene. Were they firsts for her too? Or weren't they? He was now seriously questioning how much he really knew about her at all. "I uh… I hate to break it to you Evans but I'm not sleeping with Marlene. I dunno whose knickers you're referring to but they ain't hers" He lied. He knew the pair she was referring to; it was the little black pair that she'd slipped into his pocket so long ago. Lily suddenly went very red in the face.

"Oh god I'm so sorry! I just assumed because she has some that are very similar. Oh Merlin please don't tell her I've said anything to you she'd be absolutely mortified. God it's a good thing I didn't talk to her after all then!" Sirius wasn't sure if the last part was meant for him or herself but he kept his mouth shut and continued to try and eat his pie. "Oh well. I hope you start feeling like yourself again soon Sirius."

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius was still feeling like a bit of a fucking idiot after his conversation with Lily. Maybe all he'd been feeling for Marlene this entire time was simply lust. He'd never once thought about the implications of their situation on her. He hadn't considered her experience or apparent lack of, nor her feelings. He genuinely knew very little about her. It was a few minutes until the countdown began for midnight. The New Year's Eve party wasn't as crazy as the Christmas bash but it was getting pretty close to it. Sirius took another swig of beer and looked around the room for signs of Marlene. He hadn't spoken to her since his talk with Lily in the kitchens and it was kinda making him jumpy. It was all he'd been able to think about all afternoon and it was making him feel like an arse. How had he not ever given that piece of information thought? How had it never crossed his mind in the slightest? He didn't even know but he felt certain that he needed to talk to her about it without dropping Lily in the shit. He latched his eyes on her across the room playing a game of exploding snap with Remus. Maybe it was just his imagination but she looked extremely happy. He continued to watch them as someone began the count.

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

He watched as Remus leaned over the coffee table and kissed Marlene on the lips. His stomach churned, his heart ached and he felt sick. One of his best mates was trying to kiss the girl he was falling in bloody love with. It was his worst nightmare. He turned away, he didn't want to watch Marlene reciprocate because he had absolutely no right to say she couldn't. They weren't exclusive, they weren't together and if she really liked Remus then good for her. They deserved each other, Moony was a good guy and would certainly be a better boyfriend then he ever could be to her.

He placed his beer on the table and slipped unnoticed out of the common room. He had no idea where he was going. He just followed his feet and somehow ended up in the astronomy tower thankful that no couples had decided to sneak up here or were already long gone after their new year's kisses. He cracked open the window and wished more than ever that he had a packet of smokes. He hadn't smoked in a god damn long time, knowing that Marlene didn't like the smell, but now he craved nothing more. Everything hurt, his whole body quaked with sadness. Was this what heart break felt like? Was this what he had done to the countless girls in past? Alone he let a stray tear roll down his cheek. How could he ever look at her the same way again after that? His best mate for Merlin's sake his best mate. He sat on the window sill for what seemed like an eternity. He didn't feel up to returning to Gryffindor tower tonight. He picked himself up off the window sill without bothering to dust himself off and wandered to the room of requirement, all he wanted was a bed.

Instead he got his and Marlene's little hidey hole. It was just the same as it always was, but now the room felt smaller, almost claustrophobic. He kicked off his shoes and stripped out of most of his clothes and clambered into the bed. He lay on his side watching the flames in the fireplace flicker. It was over. Before it had even begun his relationship with Marlene was over because he'd been too scared to tell her. For what? Fear of rejection? Surely that was better than this. And those were the thoughts that carried him to sleep as the embers in the fire died. He was woken by a weight upon him. He woke up bewildered not knowing where he was or who he was with. "Hey I found you at last" It was Marlene's soft voice. The pain came flooding back to him. "I thought I might find you here. Don't worry I stayed away from the punch tonight so I'm not going to be a sloppy drunk. Did you know poor bloody Remus has never had a midnight kiss on New Year's? That's really quite something huh? Apparently he's been stood next to Peter every year til now so I was the lucky first gal" She laughed climbing into bed beside him.

"So did you kiss him back?" Sirius asked his tone dead.

"Merlin no." She insisted. "I don't like Remus like that, plus he has a crush on Talia McCrery from Hufflepuff. I just gave him a solid high five for effort. He seemed pretty pleased with himself." A wave of relief washed over Sirius and the glimmer of hope swelled as he pulled her in close to him and nuzzled into her neck breathing in her sweet scent. Marlene squealed and tried to pull away from him but he held her firmly.

"You tired or something Black?" She teased trying to reach him to give him kisses that currently evaded her. "I just want to hold you for a bit. I don't want to do anything" He breathed. She instantly stopped struggling and moved into him.

"Alright then. Everything okay?" She asked, running her fingers soothingly through his long locks. "I saw you walk off with Lily earlier… well I suppose that was yesterday now wasn't it. Is something bothering you Sirius?"

"Yeah. It just… I feel like I barely know anything about you other than you have an older brother, you're a pure blood and you are friends with Lily. What do you wanna do when you leave school? What's your favourite colour even? I don't know" The questions came flooding out of his mouth at once.

"Well you've never really asked." She pulled away slightly so her nose was in line with his, not quite touching but almost. She could look him straight in the eye. "But if it really bothers you that much… I want to help fight in the war against Voldemort, but career wise I've always thought about being an auror, both my parents work in magical law enforcement and my brother Adam is studying as a healer at St Mungo's. And my favourite colour is like cobalt blue. Happy?" She asked pressing her nose against his.

"Have you ever done this with anyone else before?"

"No" She admitted. "I don't make a habit of making sexual propositions around the castle."

"Marlene are you a virgin?" He asked her honestly. She looked taken aback and pulled away. "Would it matter if I was?" She asked concerned.

"Kinda." He told her. She looked at him sadly "Well I'm sorry if my expertise wasn't exactly what you were expecting. I didn't realise I had to come with a disclaimer notice"

"I didn't mean it like that. I just think that I should be the last person you'd want to lose you virginity to."

"Don't be a dork." She stated. "The truth is yes I'm a virgin. But that doesn't have to effect this Sirius. It's just sex, it doesn't have to be a big deal if you don't want it to be. I never expected it to be when I signed up for this whole thing in the first place."

"No, I want it to be a big deal for you. It should be a big deal. You deserve to have it be a big deal." Sirius confessed. "I…I really do like you Marlene. Like a lot. Like I haven't felt this way like someone before and that frightens me. I saw Remus kiss you at midnight and I froze, I didn't want to watch. I was scared I'd actually lost you." Marlene looked at him now with a look he hadn't seen her express before. She looked at him so deeply that he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Oh Sirius why didn't you say something?" She cooed, pressing her clothed body against his mostly naked one. He felt vulnerable. "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret okay? I lied. Yeah it is a big deal and so the prospect of losing my virginity was starting to become a bit over whelming. But I think that's because along the way I started to like you a lot too…but I thought you were still going around with other witches?"

"You believed the rumour mill? Marls I haven't so much as looked at another girl the way I look at you since this. Marlene I want you. Not a hoard of witches throwing themselves at me. I want us to be exclusive, I want us to be a public thing. I don't want to hide you away I want to be able to tell my friends because frankly I feel like I've been falling more and more in love with you faster than Lily has with James." Marlene started to cry. The tears slipping down her cheeks and rolling down to meet up at her breasts. It was agony, Sirius hadn't wanted to make her feel bad or make her cry. This wasn't what he wanted at all. "Oh Merlin Marls please say something, anything" He begged.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that" She choked on her tears.

For the first time Sirius properly leaned in and he kissed her. So softly and yet so passionately at the same time trying to convey every emotion he felt about Marlene in a simple action. His hands became tangled in her hair and he pulled her in as close to him as he possibly could as she reciprocated his kiss. This was different to all the other times they'd done this, there was a spark that hadn't existed between them before now but now it had ignited and the flame was burning. And so they fell asleep in the early hours of the morning of January 1st 1977 in each other's arms.

* * *

* * *

 

"So umm… are we like dating now?" Marlene asked as he held her against his side while she lay on her stomach. She used one hand to hold her head propped up and the other was drawing circles with her finger tips on his chest. "I know you aren't really keen on labels and dating and all that."

"Well I figured that part was up to you" She smirked, giving him a knowing look. "I think I'd like to be but the question is whether or not you want to be. I've never really done the whole dating someone properly thing. The rumour mill will undoubtedly be vicious for the next few weeks if we do come out publicly as a couple" He expressed with concern, all though it was kind of hard to remain tense when what Marlene was doing was so relaxing.

"Meh, I don't care what a bunch of jealous fuck-wits have to say about me. The only opinions that matter are my family and my friends who let's face it probably will either A. not give a shit or B. be quite happy about the whole thing I'd imagine. Although I am going to have to pull Lily aside first and do some damage control. I won't tell her the underlying reason as to why this all started but I am going to have to admit we were fooling around. She's not dumb" Marlene confessed and Sirius nodded in agreement.

Classes still wouldn't be starting up again until January 4th but most of the student body would be returning from their holidays tomorrow if not the day after, it wouldn't take long for the news that they were dating to travel. But it would be easier to make sure that their friends would be the first to know. Sirius couldn't help but picture the smug look on James's face and imagined Remus making a whip noise. Not that it bothered him any. The sun had long been up and Sirius guessed that it was probably coming close to noon, the hung over student body would be rousing to go down to lunch very shortly. It was probably a wise idea to get a move but he couldn't quite bring himself to do so. It seemed Marlene was making the decision for him by climbing out of bed.

"Don't get up Marls"

"Unless you're about to give me a reason to stay." She responded cheekily.

Sirius leaned out and grasped her palm with his hand and pulled her back towards the bed. He kissed her hand and moved his arms up her body and began to remove her shirt. He struggled slightly to keep his eyes level with hers and not gape down at the exposed cleavage. He sleepily drabbled kisses down her neck and over her breasts.

"I should warn you Sirius. This comes with a price tag" She laughed at him.

"I can afford it" he muttered his tongue skirting over her nipple.

"I didn't name the price." She replied softly. "If I stay you can touch. But I will not return the favour."

Sirius paused at this statement contemplating it. He could pleasure and touch her as much as he wanted but she wouldn't touch him. This option was both a blessing and a curse. Until now Marlene had never really let herself go and let him pleasure her. It had always been her trying to keep him happy, keep him motivated, giving him what he wanted.

"You're still agreeing to go out with me right?" He asked her, she nodded.

"I think I can afford to pay then" He replied happily, pulling her fully onto the bed, laying her down on her back and returned to the work on her breasts.

He ran his tongue and kisses all over her. He was prepared to kiss everywhere that he could. Her gentle moans and groans egged him on. Her fingers ran though the messy bed sheets. Lazily he pulled her pants from her. Leaving her fully naked at his fingertips. The urge to burry himself deep inside her was there. He was even erect at the thought but he knew there was no chance of that happening. So he opted for teasing her instead. He started by sliding his fingers teasingly slowly in and out of her. She let out soft whimpering noises that Sirius could only take as a good sign. He flicked his tongue over an exposed nipple and blew softly on it. She squirmed and arched her back.

He loved the reaction. He'd used that move on girls before, but usually they'd giggle or start muttering begs for sex or attempt to interrupt his work. But not Marls, she responded to his movements perfectly... Or well almost, if she was indeed touching him it would be worth it. His heart began to thud loudly in his chest. He actually wondered if Marlene could hear it too or if it was just his wild imagination. Pull yourself together man he thought. Since when did he become nervous about pleasuring a woman? He took in a deep breath and stopped the movements with his hands. Marlene offered up a moan of protest and look down at him. Now is the moment.

Sirius swallowed but remained eye contact with her. He spread her legs wider apart and lowered himself between her legs. He kissed down her torso and over her newly shaven area. Marlene's breath hitched and she sat up slightly to get a better view of him. He looked up at her. "Has anyone ever done this to you?" He asked her. She shook her head. No.

"Lay back" He said softly "And close your eyes. Just feel. Then you can watch"

He was expecting her to protest and stay as she was but he surprised him and did as he had asked her. He noted her breathing had become heavier, her breasts heaving with each deep breath. He focused his attention back on the area between her legs. He was so close to her centre, where she was wet to the touch. He licked from her shaven area up to her belly button then back down. This time venturing further down to her opening. He darted his tongue over her clit. Now he was going to have to use an old trick. He licked the letters of the alphabet to offer a variety of approaches. She moaned loudly panting and arched into him. He could tell she was close already so he slid his fingers inside her again to ante her orgasm. Stroking her g-spot in a "come here" motion. As expected she unravelled around him quickly and collapsed panting on the bed. He slid his fingers out of her and cleaned them off with his tongue. He watched her watching him out of the corner of his eye and slipped his wet fingers in his mouth. He watched as her pupils dilated and she bit her lip. He leaned over and planted a soft kiss against her lips. She smiled slightly and closed her eyes, rolling onto her side.

He crawled up beside her and lay on his back. In a matter of minutes, she was dozing again and he was still laying there flat on his back and very aroused. Was it inappropriate to... to finish himself off while she lay beside him? He pondered it for a moment then decided against it. He stood carefully and went over to the wall where he knew a bathroom would appear. Quickly he snuck in and closed the door behind him. He second it shut he started to relieve himself. He shook his head at the prospects of the fact that he was in a bathroom having a wank when there was a perfectly nice girl dozing in the bed they had shared. It was almost unreal. He finished and made his way back out into the open area. Marlene was awake again and waiting for him. He slipped in beside her. "I'm hungry" Marlene commented.

"Hi Hungry I'm Sirius" He laughed. She poked him in the ribs and released herself from being tangled in the sheets and pulled away from him. "Funny guy. But seriously I feel so hungry I could probably eat a centaur. So let's go eat." Sirius had to agree as his stomach grumbled.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and started putting on his clothes that were left in a pile on the floor. Marlene yawned and stretched clambering out of bed herself and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. "I'll meet you back at Gryffindor tower yea? I need a shower and a chat with Lily before I dare grace the great hall with my presence" She chuckled.

"Sure thing love" The words rolled of his tongue, tasting foreign yet sweet in his mouth. She smiled, put her clothes back on and departed.

It was after she left him that he realised something. While Lily wasn't a fool neither was James. Which meant his best mate would put two and two together and make four working out that he'd walked in on him and Marlene at Christmas… awkward. He hoped his friend would be able to keep that factor to himself. Or at least just between the marauders. He couldn't even begin to picture the absolute mortification on both Lily and Marlene's faces if that one was a story that travelled. Collecting himself he departed the room of requirement and headed for Gryffindor tower.

He was surprised when he encountered a scene he never thought he would ever be graced with seeing. He watched as he saw his good friend and dorm mate Peter Pettigrew awkwardly and haphazardly exit a broom cupboard with a mop bucket around his foot. Ahead of him another student in robes with long black hair walking away quite furiously. He almost laughed out loud.

"Oi Pete!" He called out to his dishevelled friend. "And what exactly have you been up to?" Peter Pettigrew jumped as though a rocket had been lit under him, sending he bucket that had been attached to his foot stumbling along the corridor.

"Sirius! I um… It's not what it looks like!" His companion squeaked.

"Oh Peter you don't have to lie to me. I saw the dark haired bird walk off there's no need to embarrass yourself. Now who was she?" Sirius asked him, folding his arms and plastering a smug look on his face. Peter was overcome with relief, Sirius thought he'd seem him with a girl.

"Oh her name's…S…. Sarah. Yeah Sarah she's in Hufflepuff you probably don't know her um… Fourth year" He muttered away, constantly looking in the direction that his broom cupboard partner had left in.

"Peter Pettigrew, you sly dog you. Maybe you should have been in Slytherin" Sirius barked with laughter patting the smaller plumper boy on the back. "Right come back to Gryffindor tower with me there's something I need to share with you guys"

* * *

* * *

 

"You bloody what mate" Was Remus's reaction. Followed by a profuse apology for making a move on his bird without knowing that he was doing so at the time. Sirius barked with laughter, slapping his bemused friend on the back telling him there was absolutely no reason to be concerned and he'd already heard the full story from Marlene. There were no hard feelings. In fact, he even agreed to put in a good word with the girl he was actually remotely interested in. He received an astonished look from Peter who looked like he'd been hit over the head by a beater's bat the second he heard the words 'I am dating…' come out of Sirius's mouth in a sober and controlled sentence. James on the other hand was a whole other story. Sirius couldn't tell what exactly his best friend was thinking from his facial expression which was somewhere between shock, glee and discomfort. Then it hit him.

"OH MERLIN." James started "OH…. Christmas, oh. Bloody hell I really didn't need that mental imagine. Ah I'm never going to un-see that" He grimaced.

"What about Christmas?" Peter asked completely clueless.

"Nothing!" Sirius said. James looked at him sceptically. "Oh alright… James walked in on Marlene being well… friendly at Christmas" He admitted bashfully. "That however does not leave the sanctity of this group you hear?" Despite his embarrassment a cheeky smirk was forming on his face.

"Well congrats mate I guess. I mean really congratulations…. But seriously don't screw it up because if you fuck with her best mate then I'll never get Lils to go out with me. Selfish I know but hey I've managed to get through the last several months quite successfully" James confided, a knowing smile creeping up on his face.

"James brother you have my word I am completely one hundred percent serious about this." Sirius attempted to say before he was interrupted by Lily Evans barging into the boy's dormitory fully dressed but with a towel wrapped around her head. She grabbed a pillow of the closest bed she could reach and started whacking James around the head with it.

"I bloody well asked you Potter you twat and you said no!" She growled at him as he tried to move away from her attack. "And I swear I didn't bloody know until literally two minutes before you walked in the door. Owww!" James tried to defend himself. Lily stopped her advances and turned on heel to look at Sirius head in the eye.

"And you Sirius Black" She pointed a finger accusingly at him. "You and I are having a damn serious bloody conversation after lunch" She huffed, although a smile was attempting to appear from the side of her mouth, and stormed out the room taking the pillow with her.

"That's my pillow" James said meekly after she'd left.

"Mate clearly she hit you too hard around the head if that's all you're worried about. I'm sure it will be returned" Remus snickered.

Lily was still refusing to speak to either Marlene or Sirius over lunch, she wedged herself between Mary Macdonald and Dorcas Meadows her other two dorm mates. Despite this Dorcas and Mary were still more than happy to voice their opinions on the Sirius-Marlene development and that was the fact they were thrilled. Mostly due to the fact they were a pair of the rare few who currently knew about the whole affair. Sirius wasn't sure if Lily's silence was because she still didn't know what to say about the whole ordeal or if she was fuming mad. Marlene didn't seem at all effected by this and continued on with lunch as if nothing was out of the ordinary, minus a few risqué smiles directed at Sirius. Personally Sirius however was frightened he might suddenly find himself on the receiving end of a string of curses she usually only reserved for James at times of most antagonizing annoyance. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it on better judgement.

"Sirius for Merlin's sake stop gaping like a fish I'm not going to hex you… yet" Lily muttered.

"Yet?" He gulped.

"I'm still deciding on an appropriate punishment for the pair of you for sneaking around our backs… and then lying about it when I blatantly asked you." She grumbled in response.

"I would like to take this opportunity to say I am not at fault here because you never asked me anything and so thus I am not responsible." Marlene jumped in pointing her for directly at Lily. Mary and Dorcas nodded along in agreement.

"Still broke the girl code being sneaky and not telling me regardless. Your punishment is you don't get to copy my transfiguration homework. As for you Black…"

"I would also like to take the opportunity to say you asked me if I was sleeping with Marlene… which I wasn't and am certainly not currently either. So thus I did not lie… technically." Sirius defended himself, raising both hands in a submissive position.

"Oh don't you dare try get out of this on a technicality!" She accused.

"Hang on a minute… you worked out Sirius and I had a thing? How?" Marlene asked suddenly amused.

"1. You were sneaking off all the god damn time and I couldn't find you. 2. I know these things and 3. Mary heard you coming in and out of the dorm. 4. I saw a pair of your knickers under his bed." She replied, tilting her head towards Sirius and lowering her voice for the fourth reason. Mary blushed and the rest of the marauders were now also intrigued by this development. Marlene scowled.

"I've never taken my underwear off in your dorm"

"I can most certainly assure you they're yours love… Herbology" He coughed.

"Oh yes…" Marlene blushed, the colour spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.

"As much as I'd normally enjoy all this juicy information… I enjoy hearing such information in the comfort of the girl's dorms not while I am trying to eat" Dorcas shuddered, laughing at the embarrassment rising on Marlene's face.

"I can give you the scorching details later if you want" Marlene winked, regaining her composure. Sirius nearly choked on what was in his mouth. "Oh don't worry dear I'll only say nice things about you" She teased.

"You lot actually bloody talk about that kind of thing?" James asked.

"Of course. It's always a good idea to compare notes" Mary replied honestly. Lily however wouldn't dare to look anyone in the eye now. Sirius couldn't help but wonder if any of the girls before him had been giving Marlene hints in the past that she now used on him. In one way he was mortified that his personal life was spread around like that… although in all honesty the rumour mill did a lot of that, in another way he was also excruciatingly grateful for the advice.

"So out of curiosity do you rate us on a scale of sexiness, talent or both? Because I'm pretty sure I'd receive a ten either way" Sirius boasted cockily. "Neither really. We just like the details. We get to like vicariously through one another every so often. Like that one time Mary got snogged by Blaire Partridge in the carriages up from the station last year." Dorcas through in.

"Hey that was a one-time thing. He refused to break up with Susan" Mary argued. "See what I mean? Get the details with none of the mess involved" Dorcas shrugged. "Anyway back onto the original train of thought you dirty minded hooligans. What's Sirius's punishment Lils?"

Lily looked sternly at Sirius and contemplated for a moment. Sirius watched nervously as her eye brows furrowed, almost touching in the middle. Then she smiled wickedly, a conniving smile that Sirius had only ever seen on her face when she was helping to plan a prank. Oh bollocks he thought to himself. Now I'm in for it. Lily leaned around Dorcas's back to reach closer to Sirius and beckoned him to lean closer to her. He obliged and offered her his ear as she whispered her master plan into it. He looked at her sceptically and pulled away. "Really?" He asked allusively. She nodded.


	8. Valentines Turntable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Steam Engine: Sirius starts getting jealous and is forced to lie to Lily about his relationship with Marlene. Remus kisses Marlene at midnight on new years. Sirius has to confess his feelings. Peter once again narrowly avoids detection. Lily offers out her punishment for her friends being sly.

Sirius down right refused to tell anyone else what Lily had whispered in the days that followed. He'd had specific instructions that he had to wait until Valentine's day. More than a whole bloody month after the fact. He felt his palms start to sweat as they entered the great hall for breakfast, there were plenty of people from other houses already there and more trailing in behind the group of gryffindors. They took their usual seats, no one other than Lily and Sirius himself knowing what he was about to do. He cleared his throat and stood on top of the Gryffindor breakfast table. He looked down at his friends who were studying him quizzically as other students and staff started to take notice. He cleared his throat again, loudly this time and addressed the great hall with a colossal shout.

"Can I have your attention please? I know your lives are all dreadfully boring but right now I have an announcement to make" His usual commanding charm faltered towards the end of his sentence. Oh bloody hell here it goes he thought. "Ladies I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask all of you to stop with your advances as they are now unwarranted and unwanted. I Sirius Orion Black am no longer a free agent"

Snickering could be heard from around his feet that Sirius knew could only belong to Lily. A few muttered and the odd gasp littered the great hall. He continued on. "Yes, yes it's a sad ordeal for you all I know but what can I say my heart has been stolen by non-other than this beautiful woman right here" He added gesturing to Marlene who was looking up at him like she was down-right ropable right now. He winked at her and a smile broke out on her face momentarily before it returned to a scowl. "Anyway that's my announcement, happy valentine's day to all and peace out people" Sirius finished dropping back down into his seat.

Applause could be heard from up at the staff table where the head master was joyfully watching the scene. Professor McGonagall however appeared to be far from impressed with his performance and was striding purposefully towards him. "Detention Mr. Black, tomorrow in the trophy room with Mr Filch."

"Yes ma'am" He replied. Surprised but satisfied he didn't have a retort the professor continued on past him and out of the great hall. Lily couldn't contain herself any longer and erupted into a fit of laughter. "Oh that was even more golden than I thought it would be." She cried wiping a joyful tear from her eye. "Sorry Mar but he was asking for it. That was bloody brilliant" James had now joined in on her laughter as well. Remus, Peter and Dorcas sniggering into their breakfasts.

"Oh just you wait until I can exact my revenge you dear little cherubs… Minus Mary as she's the only one who didn't laugh. Thank gorgeous" Sirius flattered, Mary turning bright crimson. "Well I happened to think it was kinda sweet. No one would ever go jumping on tables for me." She admitted.

"What about that Cattermole fellow?" Marlene asked. "Reg? Oh he's just my charms tutor" Mary blushed indignantly. Marlene rolled her eyes "Mary honestly in damn obvious you've got the hots for him, just ask him to Hogsmeade or something will you. You've done nothing but 'Reginald this…Reg that' me for months"

"Maybe I will then"

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius thought that Marlene was prepared for the back lash that was sure to come from the Hogwarts rumour mill. From what he had seen walking with her holding hands to class the most people had to offer her were a few unkind stares. She has assured him that she was fine, but it would seem Sirius was wrong about the harshness of her taunts and he wished that he'd noticed it sooner. He should have noticed it weeks in advance when Marlene started going quiet for long periods of time, or disappearing to bed early instead of snuggling with him on the couch in the Gryffindor common room while they conversed with their friends and played exploding snap. No he should have picked up on it then but he didn't and that was the unfortunate thing about it all. He didn't notice how badly that Marlene was being belittled until people weren't aware that he was around.

It was the first weekend in March, the fourth match of the inter-house quidditch competition and Gryffindor was playing Hufflepuff. Sirius could easily make out Marlene in the stands as she stood with Lily whose bright red hair stood out from a mile away. He waved at her and she waved gleefully back at him. Someone behind her said something to her and she whipped around to confront them, as did Lily but from his distance Sirius could not make out what was being said. He ignored it and continued on with the game. It was over within a couple of hours, Gryffindor caught the snitch and won the game with a dominant 60-point lead. The crowd erupted into cheers as both teams landed on the pitch. It had been a good clean game as the majority of the Hufflepuff games were. The teams rotated shaking one another's hands "Good game" they all muttered absolutely exhausted.

Marlene had agreed earlier in the day to meet Sirius outside the changing rooms after the game. So he was surprised to not find her there after he had showered and dressed hurriedly. He stuck his head back in the door and called out to James. "Hey Prongs!"

"Yeah Pads?" He yelled back still in the shower.

"Marls didn't say anything about going back up to the castle with Lily did she?" He asked. The water shut off. James stepped out of the showers with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"No, I don't think so. Lily had a meeting with Slughorn to discuss something about an extracurricular assignment she's been working on. She would of head straight for the dungeons. As far as I'm aware only Remus was going with her to make sure none of the Slytherins gave her grief. Maybe she chose to wait in the stands were its more sheltered, it is a bit blowy out there?" He suggested.

"Yeah maybe" Sirius agreed albeit the scepticism was clear in his voice. He trudged through the soggy grass towards the stands. There was still no sign of Marlene. He frowned. Where the bloody hell was she? He turned to head back towards the changing rooms in case he'd somehow missed her when he spotted her. She was limping miserably towards the castle, a hoard of Ravenclaw girls a few meters ahead of her. Sirius jumped the last set of bleachers and ran after her.

"Hey Marls wait up! I thought you were going to wait for me!" He bellowed as he made ground on her, but she didn't turn to face him. "Marlene" He called again, softer this time. He caught up to her and heard her snivelling miserably. He caught her shoulder and whipped her around to look at him. What he saw before him sent a disgusted feeling to the pit of his stomach. "What the hell…"

Painful, large, yellow boils had sprouted all over Marlene's hands, she cradled them in her arms, tears sliding off the end of her nose, her breaths coming out in gasps. He grasped her at the elbow and tried to examine her hands more clearly but she jerked them away.

"Don't" She warned "They're covered in bubotuber pus. You'll only burn yourself"

"Who did this to you?" He growled, trying to pull her close to him without letting her hands touch his skin.

"One of them" She sniffed miserably, throwing her head towards the girls who had now gotten much further ahead. "They recon I'm some kind of slag who stole you from a friend of theirs. Normally they just yell abuse, this is the first physical thing that's happened. A guy in the stands was calling me a slut during the game. Lily have him a good earful"

"I would of as well if I'd bloody known. Marls why didn't you tell me this sort of thing was going on?"

"I didn't want to worry you. It was no big deal" But clearly it was as she started to sob harder. "It's alright poppet, I'm here now so no one else is going to try anything you hear me? Now let's get you up to the hospital wing and get these hasty burns and boils sorted yeah?" He smoothed her, running his fingers through her hair. Stomping feet behind him interrupted him, he whipped his wand from his pocket and spun around pointing it in the persons face.

"Woah! Pads it's just me for merlin's sake. Marlene what happened" James gasped at the sight of her hands. Marlene made an attempt to hide them from him.

"Stupid fucking bitches that's what. Can you go find Professor McGonagall while I take Marls up to the hospital wing?" James nodded and ran off ahead of them, while Sirius escorted the sobbing Marlene gingerly to see Madam Pomfrey.

"In all my years. In all my years I have never seen anything so callous. It's frightening to think some of you are almost adults. Why I never!" Madam Pomfrey shrilled as she attempted to Marlene's hands with potions and ointments.

Marlene's tears had dried now leaving salt crystal trails down her cheeks. She hadn't spoken since they arrived in the hospital wing, instead she relied on Sirius to relay the train of events that had happened to her. She wouldn't even look him in the eye as he attempted to sooth her, sitting beside her and rubbing firm circles around her back. She'd shrunken away into a shell that Sirius could not penetrate. She was so strong she wouldn't let him in to her the weakness she felt right now.

Within her own head Marlene was telling herself how it could have been so much worse. It was just a little bubotuber pus over a boy. Mary Macdonald had been attacked viscously with dark magic by Mulciber just for minding her own business because she was a muggle born. Yes, Marlene could have felt a wrath so much worse, there was no longer any point crying over it. It was done now and if Sirius had anything to do with it he would see that the culprits were punished and that would be the end of it. Then it would be onto the next supposed crime and punishment. Yes, this was petty level compared to the agony Mary must have had to go through at a wanna be death eaters hand. Marlene clenched her fists much to the dismay of Madam Pomfrey.

"Child please. I understand it's painful but you'll only aggravate the wounds if you do that. Keep them out stretched" The matron chided as Professor McGonagall came storming into the hospital wing.

"Poppy am I right when I am told one of my students has been attacked with bubotuber pus?" The deputy headmistress was fuming with rage. "Yes Ma'am" Madam Pomfrey replied, looking up from Marlene's wounds to shake her head.

"Miss McKinnon are you aware of the name of your attacker?" The head of house continued to question. "No." Marlene croaked, her voice was hoarse from the crying. "There was a group of them, they grabbed me and started throwing me around between them. Calling me foul names and saying all these disgusting things I'd supposedly done. Then I felt my hands start to burn, anyone of them could have done it"

"I'll need their names Miss McKinnon, or at the very least descriptions. I can assure you they will be dealt with accordingly. I will be grappling with the head master for suspensions, this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated within these walls" Marlene rambled off the names of the girls that she had recognised, and gave vague descriptions of the ones she did not. The head of house's face was stern but concerned. She took note of the names and went to depart the hospital wing. "Mr Black I have your assurances that your own personal vendetta will not be started?" She asked raising an eye brow. Sirius nodded conceding, he was too worried about Marlene now to even think about an appropriate revenge attack. The school could deal with this. They weren't children anymore. "Very well" She finished leaving the room, her shoes clicking against the floor.

"There we are dear" Madam Pomfrey lulled, bandaging her hands "Leave these on over-night and your hands should be back to normal by morning, if not come back and see me" Marlene thanked her for her time and gathered herself off the hospital wing bed. Sirius's face was grey with concern, bordering pity. She hated it. "Please don't look at me like that Sirius" She pleaded.

"I'm just worried about you Marls babe" He replied kissing her forehead. He looped his arm through hers and escorted her from the infirmary and back up to Gryffindor tower where their friends were awaiting eagerly.

"Oh those no good rotten toe rags!" Lily screeched at the sight of Marlene. Mary pulled her into a hug while Dorcas watched on shaking her head and tutting. "Guys I'm fine honestly right now all I want to do is forget about it okay?" Marlene shrugged them off heading for the couch in front of the fire which was in full blaze.

She shrank down into the chair, curling her body into herself in and upright foetal position. Remus stood behind the chair and patted her back softly before taking a seat in an empty arm chair. The younger students in the room noticed the apparent tension and scattered up the stairs to their dormitories, out of the senior student's way. Sirius climbed over the back of the chair taking his usual place next to Marlene. He ran his fingers through her long hair like he knew she liked and pulled her in close to him, feeling her relax. Lily settled into a spot beneath Remus's chair on her floor and opened the book she had been reading. James and Peter stated a game of knuckle bones on the coffee table, while the others gathered their own seats and chatted idly amongst themselves.

Sirius wasn't really listening to any of the goings on around him. His focus was on Marlene. The way she cradled into him and the now steady rise and fall of her chest. He would protect her now, same as she had protected him without even knowing it. This was personal now, no one hurt his friends and no one hurt his girl that much was for certain. "Hey Sirius can we get out of here for a while? I just want some space with me and you" Marlene piped up softly.

"Sure thing sweet" He replied, lifting himself from the couch. Nobody made notice of them as they departed up the stairs to the boy's dormitories. The room was a bombshell of a mess with clothes strewn around the room in a last ditch panic himself and James had made that morning to find all their gear for the match. He glanced back at Marlene apologetically but she didn't seem at all bothered by the mess, instead choosing to work her way through it and clamber into Sirius's four poster bed. He had every intention of joining her, but made a minimalistic effort at tidying by at least pushing his clothes towards the foot of his bed with the tip of his shoe. Marlene watched him to do lazily and lay on her sides, hands sticking out of the bed floating in mid-air so she did not do them further damage. Sirius crawled onto his bed and lay down beside Marlene cuddling her into a spoon position. "I'm sorry" He murmured against her ear.

"What are you sorry for?" Marlene asked him honestly.

"I should have noticed something was wrong sooner, you've been so off lately but I just put it down to the stress with school work. It should never have been able to get to this point. I should have shut it down before it came to this. My previous exploits are to blame" He granted. Marlene rolled over to face him. Their noses touched.

"How? Sirius you aren't invincible, you don't have power of the student body that can't even think for themselves and you sure as hell can't be everywhere at once. There are bitches in this world so what? So long as I've got you by my side I really couldn't give a rats arse I told you that. Okay so I've let this get to me for the last little while and I shouldn't but I did, because I thought I was a big girl and could handle it all on my own but the truth is I can't. But now you know and there's this weight off my chest that I don't have to be perfect all the time" Marlene said, the relied washing n with her words.

"Marls I've never expected you to be perfect, you are human after all" He kissed her. On the lips ever so softly. He was still getting used to the fact he could do this now, touch her, kiss her, and caress her whenever he wanted. The novelty of it all hadn't worn of yet, but he could feel sometimes when he looked at Marlene that that was what she thought he was thinking. She thought he would grow tired of her, but she was far from the truth. While they had not been intimate in a sexual way since the New Year had been brought in a few months back, that hadn't bothered him in the slightest up to this point. There were no lingering expectations when it came to Marlene. They were just Sirius and Marlene and that was all he really needed right now. He deepened the kiss pulling her in close to him while being weary of her bandaged hands. She wrapped her arms around him, the crooks of her elbows resting on his broad shoulders.

He trailed his kisses away from the mouth and down her neck. Sucking on the pulse point at the base of it. He loved the way she moaned softly and pressed herself against him as much as she could while still providing him the space at her neck. He nuzzled her nipping and biting at her skin ad his kisses rose back up towards her ear. He grasped it between his teeth and tugged it playfully before returning to her mouth where she kissed him longingly. Her moves were more dominant over him now. A growl formed in the back of his throat. Gingerly he rolled over onto his back, bringing Marlene on top to straddle him, which she did so blissfully. His hands roamed her body freely, snaking their way up her inner thighs and over her bum, resting in place there he gave each cheek a little squeeze. He pictured the first time been astride him like this in the room of requirement. The way she had pinned his hands above his head. Although with her bandaged hands she wasn't capable of doing so right this moment. She caught his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled on it seductively. It was maddening. His hands travelled further upward now across the small of her back and stomach to reach her breasts which were blocked from him by the fabric of her shirt. He removed his lip from Marlene's grasp and worked his way down her neck in a trail of kisses again.

He stopped his assault at the line of her shirt, using his hands to stretch the fabric and reveal her breasts clad in a black bra beneath them. God she did look good in black. His kisses moved lower across her breasts where he could reach them. But clearly Marlene had other ideas as she rolled off him and onto her back, her hands held above her head out of the way. Sirius leaned over and pushed the thigh furthest away from him further apart before moving himself on top of her and his waist resting between her legs. Her breathing hitched and she looked him over alluringly, locking eyes with him. He graced her with a chaste kiss of the lips before moving onto removing her shirt from her body entirely pulling it up and over her head, minding her sore hands. He returned him kisses to his stomach and worked his way up her body back to her breasts where his focus had been before.

"Sirius love you might want to close the curtains" Marlene whispered. Sirius followed her gaze to the open hangings around his four poster bed. He knelt briefly to pull them closed, enclosing them in the bed space. She lifted her body to him, pulling him down on top of her again. He went back to work attempting to remove her bra. But he found himself struggling with the clasp and cursed himself.

"Sorry I can't help" She apologised raising her hands.

"That's alright babe" He breathed, jiggling it harder begging it to come loose. Which it did. He nestled the bra up into his pillows and returned to kissing the now newly exposed areas of her breasts that he could reach. He took her nipple between his teeth and teased it softly as his hands roughly roamed her waist against the hemline of her pants.

Marlene's chest rose with the motion, bringing her waist up to connect with his. A moan vibrated at the back of her throat, sending shivers down Sirius's spine. How he longed that she could touch him back. He wanted to feel her nimble fingers exploring his body. The more she arched into him the more Sirius felt he could barely contain himself.

"Oi" Came a voice that startled both of them. It seemed Lily had migrated up the stairs. "Sirius are you clothed?" She asked.

"Yeah… but" he called out but he didn't get a chance to finish as she ripped his curtains open anyway.

"Hate to break this up but we're all going down to dinner and I thought you pair would like to join us. See you in five" She said abruptly, closing the curtain behind her and hopping off back down the stairs. Sirius looked at Marlene gobsmacked. "Did she just?"

"Yeah"

"But you're half naked" He replied stunned. "Sirius hunny we have the same parts. Lily has seen me naked numerous times and vice versa. We live in the same dorm for Merlin's sake" She chuckled struggling to slip back into her bra. "Be a love and do this up for me would ya? Then help me get my shirt on and straighten my hair so I don't look so dishevelled." Sirius reached out behind Marlene and reclosed her bra for her before retrieving her shirt and guiding it over her head.

"You've seen Evans naked?" He asked bewildered. "Yes dear" She responded pushing an arm into one sleeve of her shirt. "As in full on starkers naked."

"There's this thing called forgetting your towel when you go for a shower so yeah. Oh come on don't tell me you've never once coped a glance of Remus, James or Peter before?" He shook his head in agreement, on the odd occasion he supposed he'd managed to see each of his friends in various degrees of nude. "Alright I've gotta ask… Does the carpet match the curtains?"

Marlene playfully air swatted at him. Bursting with laughter. "Merlin how typical of you to come up with a question like that." She snorted, barely able to get in enough air. Tears were almost starting to form in her eyes. "You know I think I'll leave that one for James to figure out all on his own. Then he can tell you. Because I'm sure as hell not"

"So I'm right in thinking Evans has curtains then? I knew she wasn't the clean shaven type of lass"

* * *

* * *

 

Sirius watched dismally as Marlene attempted to hold her knife and fork in her hands and try to feed herself. He had offered to help her but she had refused it on pride. Surely her hands were in an agonising state right now? Sirius glanced over at the other house's tables and then noticed that a group of girls were watching Marlene with smirks on their faces. They must have been part of the group that had attacked his girlfriend, or supporters of the fact that she had been attacked. It enraged him. He'd had enough and gently pried the cutlery from her hands and gave her a chaste kiss on the temple. Marlene barely gave up a protest the pain clearly starting to affect her. Sirius cut her meal and spooned it into her mouth himself. The look he gave her conveyed to her that he wasn't criticizing or pitying her but was genuinely helping because she needed it and there was nothing to be ashamed of. After their conversation he realised more than ever that Marlene's pride and dignity meant a lot to her and he sure as hell wouldn't be the person to take it from her.

"Oi haven't you jealous cowardly bitches got something better to look at!" Sirius growled menacingly at the girls who were still watching Marlene with scowling faces. They all shuffled embarrassedly in their seats at being caught out by him.

"Too right Padfoot." James agreed. He stood from his seat, he'd been sat on the side of the table that had the wall of the great hall, the other house tables were on the opposite side, Sirius and Marlene's side. James jumped up on and over the table and came to stand behind Marlene shielding her from the other houses prying eyes. Marlene smiled at him a tear threatening to fall down her face. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and Sirius was grateful for it.

Remus followed James's suit and stood behind Sirius further blocking the view of Marlene from the rest of the hall. Lily slid further over in her seat so she was practically pressed up against Marlene's shoulder and Peter slid in on the opposite side. Dorcas and Mary took over the seats opposite Marlene and Sirius that had previously been taken up by the boys. The whole group was showing a form of solidarity to the rest of the students within the hall who hadn't let the commotion go unnoticed. Mess with one of the Marauders or their female friends and you were dealing with the whole group. That was all they needed to make an example of the girls that had attacked Marlene, there was no need to respond with violence of their own. Their message was received clean and clear. Stay the hell away.

"Would you like me to redress those for you Marls when we get back to the common room?" Lily asked her kindly. "My mums a nurse so I know what I'm doing". Sirius took notice of the fact that Marlene's bandages were starting to be stained with droplets of spreading red ooze. Her burns and boils had been further aggravated and had started to bleed. Marlene nodded in appreciation, her throat has swollen shut and left her unable to speak as she continued to hold back the tears that forced to break their barriers.

When they did return to the common room after dinner the rest of Gryffindor house made well to give them all a wide berth. There was no celebration of the Gryffindor victory over Hufflepuff to be held tonight. Sirius sat Marlene down in front of the fireplace as he gingerly unwrapped her bandages while Lily went upstairs to the boys' dorm with Remus in search of new ones. It was one of the rare occasions that Sirius was thankful they kept a stash of medical supplies for when full moons went a bit astray. Marlene had retreated to being quiet again, lost in her own minds thoughts. Sirius wondered what she was thinking about in that bright head of hers. Lily came back down into the common room, a stash of ointment and bandages under her arms closely followed by Remus.

"Thanks Lils you're a gem. Would you mind going up to the dorm and grabbing that stash of letters from my bedside cabinet please?" Marlene asked, her voice strained. Lily nodded handing the medical supplies over to Sirius.

"What letters?" Sirius asked her. How could they be more important than Lily sorting out her hands? When Lily descended the girls' dormitory staircase it looked like a struggle for her not to drop the tremendous pile of paper she was carrying. How did it even all fit in the bed side cabinet to start with?

"Pass them to Sirius please" Marlene told Lily. "These are all the abusive and horrid letters people have sent me since it came to light that we're dating… minus the howlers of course since they self-destruct obviously. I don't know how they keep getting in to the dorms but every morning I wake up to a new flurry on my bed. I got sick of opening them in the end. I want you to read them and then throw them in the fire. I'm sick of holding onto all this crap when I shouldn't. I'm sorry I hid them from you and no more secrets I promise" Marlene explained to Sirius.

He took the wad of paper from Lily and began to read as she finally saw to Marlene's injured hands. Sirius found himself becoming angrier as he read each letter filled with slurs, insults and threats all aimed at Marlene. He was angry at the senders but mostly he was angry at himself, his childish behaviour with other skirts up to this point is what had thrown Marlene under the bus now. It wasn't her fault in the slightest. He should have nipped the bud of the Hogwarts rumour mill at the end of the year. That way these people wouldn't be calling Marlene a scarlet woman, a harlot, a slut, a whore and other filth that they could come up with. Marlene had not played the system; she had not stolen him into her bed from the arms of another. It was all a crock of shit he could have prevented by actually giving a shit about his reputation around Hogwarts. He was 17 now, an adult in the eyes of the wizarding world, not some immature prick of a 15-year-old who didn't know how to keep his trap shut and his trousers on. He'd moved past that in the last six months or more, he'd matured without even realising. Yes, he still liked women, the prospects of shagging and drinking his evenings away but not now with a stranger every night. He'd learnt what it was like to have a proper girlfriend and true companionship with Marlene. Before this afternoon the last time he'd properly been sexually intimate with Marlene was New year's day which was a solid three months previously.

It wasn't because neither of them wanted to it was just because that's how their relationship had evolved, it wasn't necessary to sneak around the corridors at night any longer. If they wanted to cuddle up and kiss in front of their friends, they could. If they wanted to disappear for a heated snogging session in his bedroom, behind a tapestry or in a broom cupboard they could. Sirius didn't need a hand down his pants or his hands down hers to communicate their feelings any more. Although he'd be sure to show Marlene some appreciation with his hands this evening for all her troubles. She deserved a bit of a pick me up. But in all honesty the thing that had effected their sexual lives the most is was lack of time. With only a few months remaining in the school year they were both stressed and strained by the ever pilling workload that their professors were thrusting upon them. Sirius made a mental note to be more diligent with his time so he could actually start to squeeze more kink into his relationship with Marlene, he didn't want her to get the impression that her novelty was wearing off or that he was going to start pursuing his sexual deviance elsewhere. The last thing he needed to do was knock her back even more than she already was with these foul letters. As he finished each one he threw it indignantly into the fire place, sending a spiral of flames to engulf it, swallowing the callous words as they did so. He was grateful that Marlene was trusting her with these. All it did was strengthen the mutual respect and trust between them, making their relationship stronger than it already had been.

By the time he was finished Lily had already soothed Marlene's hands and wrapped them up nice a clean again. Lily was now doing cross-words from the prophet with Remus and Marlene had curled herself up against him reading over his shoulder.

"I'm putting charms up around the girls' stair case before we go to bed. Not a single one of these ruddy things is making it back into your room. How fucking ridiculous" Sirius ranted pulling his girl in closer and giving her a reassuring kiss.

"Thanks love" Marlene smiled genuinely. He was glad to see that her mood was improving.

"Marls why don't you stay up in our dorm tonight? We won't mind" James inquired. Sirius grinned at the suggestion, he'd love a night with Marlene curled up by his side.

"Not tonight James, but thanks for the offer. I don't think I'm going to sleep well as it is with these" She held up her hands. "And I don't want to disturb you Sirius love. I'll come up to cuddle before I got to bed and you can help me into my pyjamas but I think it's best I sleep in my own bed tonight."

Sirius couldn't argue with her logic, he wouldn't want to roll over in his sleep and cause her anymore pain and discomfort than she was already in. Lily shot back up the girls' staircase on Marlene's behalf and returned with a fresh pair of pyjamas for her, draping them over her arm. Marlene climbed the boys' stairs tucked under Sirius's arm. Marlene slipped her pyjamas onto the bed of Sirius's bed before falling onto it herself on her back. She yawned and let out a disgruntled tired moan. Sirius stripped off his t-shirt casting it aside and joining her on top of the duvet. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, before moving onto her mouth. As their lips met and ignited her fire in his heart as they always did Sirius gradually pulled her small frame tighter into him all whilst avoiding touching her hands. Her lower half was cradled against his, their legs locked intertwined. Whereas there was a gap between his chest and where her hands lay.

He slid his hands over her, starting at her back and moving over her bum and he had done earlier as she'd straddled him. He glided his hands to the front of her body slipping under her shirt over her stomach to her breasts. Marlene still held more composure around him more than any girl had before but she still gave him subtle cues like arching into him or a firmer lip suck than she had before. He unravelled in the mutual pleasure of snogging between them. He continued to fondle and massage her breasts which were cold to his touch, her nipples rising to greet the warmth of his soft yet worn palms. How he wishing he could slip one of his hands to hers and intertwine their fingers too. Maybe tomorrow if her hands had healed as Madame Pomfrey had said they should.

He kissed a trail from the corner of her mouth to her ear and down her neck. Now that they'd been together for a few month Marlene would let him take the reins and be submissive to his every whim on occasion, and it seemed as though thanks to her injured hands this would also become one of those occasions.

He moved his hands again back up and body and over her body, teasing every inch of exposed skin he could possibly reach. He knew that even though Marls refused to show it that this drove her wild. Her breathing as it deepened always gave her away to him. He unbuttoned her pants and started to unzip them. Marlene began to shiver which was a bit unusual for her. Sirius paused his kisses, pulling away from her to look her in the eye.

"Are you cold love?" He asked her. She shook her head, No. "What's up then sweet?" He removed his hands from her pants, why was she shaking at his touch?

"Nothing, sorry I'm just being silly" She responded but the shivering continued. Sirius frowned now, reaching for the spare blanket at the foot of his bed and draping her in it.

"It isn't nothing love. Talk to me please?" He kissed her nose softly. She didn't look at him as though she was embarrassed and then looked him in the eye.

"I don't know… It's just different I guess now that we're together, almost like it's the first time all over again and it makes me giddy. I can't control it. It's been ages since we did this." She admitted. "Do you want me to stop? I don't mind waiting. It's not silly, even though we've done it before it doesn't matter. If you aren't comfortable I won't do anything"

"No. No. Please I don't want you to stop that's not what I meant at all. Like I said it makes me giddy, it's like the first time all over again. The first time I had to put up a wall to protect myself because I didn't know how you felt and I didn't want you to know that I was completely inexperienced and useless. Now it's like I get to do it all again and you know how much I care about you now so it's different." She explained.

"Wait… you mean I'm the only person who's ever touched you like this?" Sirius asked, that was certainly news to him. He knew that his girlfriend was a virgin but her confidence did not show her apparent lack of experience. She blushed.

"Of course. I mean I've snogged other guys sure and they've coped a feel of my boobs over my shirt but that's it." Her embarrassment was flooding her face, though Sirius didn't understand why. Was Marlene really concerned about her lack of experience compared to his. A warm feeling filled his chest knowing that only he had ever made her feel what he had made her feel. He was the only person who'd touched her, caressed her and brought her to orgasm.

He kissed her firmly, something inside him had been enlightened and he wanted to show Marlene that she had no reason to feel nervous of him. She moaned quietly against his mouth. Before he could get himself too carried away he made sure to slam the curtain hangings shut around them. He returned to assaulting her lips and travelled his hands under the blanket and her clothing to reach her bare skin again. Everywhere his fingers grazed seemed to be igniting her skin with fire and warmth. She moaned louder and harder, pressing herself further against him. Her loose zipper struck his abdomen. He ran one hand up through her hair and the other back down to her pants. He struggled to wiggle them enough to gain access under her jeans to her underwear. Marlene froze again and removed her lips from his. "I should probably warn you…. I haven't shaved" She admitted.

"It doesn't bother me love. You know that." If anything it had excited him further. He'd never seen or felt Marlene with curls.

He slipped his hand down her underwear feeling the trail of soft hair brush against his fingertips. It was starting to feel like the first time for him again too. He was getting to live out the fantasy he'd thought about during their first escapade to the room of requirement. He explored further, pushing closer towards her entrance, over her clit. Wetness had pooled their already and he released a groan as Marlene once again moaned against his mouth. In hindsight he probably should of thought about a couple of silencing charms around his bed in case the others ventured upstairs but right now he had other priorities. He wanted to make her moan like that again. Better yet he wanted to make her moan his name in her ecstasy. He slipped two fingers inside her, working her as they were slickened by how wet she was. She continued to moan and arch against him. The pyjamas were lost over the side of the bed discarded and forgotten. He wanted to feel her bare chest against his again, it had been too long. He removed his hand from her pants and removed her shirt in a swift fluid motion. Her arms, elbows, bandaged hands and supple breasts pressed against his bare chest, making the hairs on his arms stand on end.

He returned to pleasuring her with her remaining clothes still on. It didn't take long for him to build her to orgasm and he listened with a smile plastered to his face as his name softly, almost inaudibly escaped her lips with a moan as she climaxed around his fingers. She was panting and still shivering. He removed his fingers from her body and cleaned them off with a couple of tissues sitting on his bedside cabinet. He wondered if anyone had indeed heard their antics. He hoped not. He wanted to be the only person who ever heard those moans again. They were heroin, ecstasy, euphoria, nirvana. He retrieved her pyjamas from the floor and loving covered his skin with pecking kisses as her helped her change. He held her not clothed again against him for a little while longer. If her hands weren't injured, he would have begged her to stay by his side. Her hair smelt sweet like coconut and he drank in the scent as he clung onto her tightly.

"I love you Marls" the words escaped his lips.


End file.
